The 33-year-old former Pearl City High School substitute teacher, charged with the distribution of child pornography, was arraigned in federal court this morning and entered a plea of not guilty.

Alden Bunag, through his attorney, demanded a jury trial during a telephonic hearing. He was present by phone from the Honolulu Federal Detention Center, where he remains held without bail.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Kenneth Mansfield set the jury selection and trial to begin Aug. 23.

According to a June 15 criminal complaint, Bunag allegedly told a Philadelphia teacher that he had sex with a former 13-year-old student at school during lunch breaks. He also admitted to FBI agents he used a camera to record multiple “sexual encounters” with the boy.

Bunag worked for the Department of Education in various positions at different schools since 2012. He was arrested June 15 on campus where he worked as a summer school teacher.

He also owns a photography business, taking high school senior and family photos.

Philadelphia FBI agents, who were investigating a Philadelphia middle school teacher, discovered he and Bunag had allegedly exchanged from 2018 to 2021 more than 3,392 messages, which included pornographic images and videos of children.