INDIANAPOLIS -- A Carmel man and former school employee was charged in federal court Tuesday with two dozen counts of producing child pornography.

Andrew Jay McGrath, 30, was arrested in September and accused of producing images of a 5-year-old girl engaging in sexually explicit conduct on two occasions, in May and August of this year.

He was charged Tuesday with 24 counts of sexual exploitation of children for producing child pornography, one count of obtaining custody and control of a minor to produce sexually explicit images and one count of possession of child pornography after authorities searched his computer.

"He gave them permission to look at his computer, and when they found the computer, they started to find things which raised their suspicion and ultimately resulted in his arrest," said U.S. Attorney Tim Morrison.

McGrath was employed as an instructional assistant at Tri-County Education Center in Noblesville, said Carmel Clay Superintendent Dr. Barbara Underwood. He was fired in September.

McGrath had been employed by the Hamilton-Boone-Madison Special Services Cooperative since January 2008, Underwood said.

Morrison said that there was no connection between images that were found on McGrath's computer and the school system.

McGrath allegedly produced the images within the last four years, Morrison said.

Some of McGrath's neighbors said they were shocked by the charges and feel for the alleged victims.

"I think that's completely awful. I just pray for them, really," said neighbor Laura Buehner. "I think that's horrible."

McGrath faces a maximum possible prison sentence of 15 to 30 years on each of the counts of producing child pornography, a maximum possible sentence of life on the single count of obtaining custody and control of a minor for production of child pornography and a maximum possible sentence of 10 years on the single count of possession of child pornography.