Central Florida Teacher Arrested on Child Pornography Charges

A sixth-grade teacher in Central Florida was arrested recently on multiple charges related to child pornography, reportedly using online AI technology to create some of the material, possibly featuring his own Christian school students.

The office of state attorney general James Usmierer announced that David McKeun, from Holly Hill, faces felony charges for possessing child sexual abuse material along with six counts of possessing animal pornography.

McKeun was taken into custody on Friday by the Holly Hill Police Department at his home in Volusia County. He was employed as a sixth-grade teacher at the United Brotherhood at the Academy of Christ, part of the Ubic Church community.

According to allegations from the Holly Hill Police Department, McKeun used Discord to share and download pornographic images while connected to the school’s Wi-Fi. It’s claimed that around 30 images were exchanged, including several files depicting animal abuse, as stated by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

In a statement, Uthmeier expressed deep concern, saying, “As teachers, parents trusted McKeun to impart knowledge to their children. Instead, he spent part of his school hours sending and receiving child sexual abuse materials, even sharing personal information about Ubic Academy students with other offenders. This is not just a betrayal; it’s devastating and reprehensible.”

The investigation sparked this month following tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which monitors online exploitative content involving minors. Authorities suspect that McKeun used AI technology to fabricate some of the pornographic images, potentially based on photos of actual students.

Detectives seized numerous devices from both McKeun’s home and the school. He has been booked at the Volusia County Jail, and a judge has denied him bail.

If found guilty, McKeun could face up to 315 years in prison, according to officials.

In response to the arrest, Ubic Academy Board Chairman Don Ross shared a statement with the school’s administration and parents, expressing shock and sorrow over the serious allegations against McKeun. He confirmed that the school has terminated its relationship with him and is cooperating fully with law enforcement. Parents with relevant information have been encouraged to reach out to the police.

Mark Glass, the FDLE Commissioner, stated that this arrest is troubling, highlighting the fact that the offenses took place on school grounds. He emphasized that predatory behavior will not be tolerated, either online or in schools.

This arrest comes shortly after Governor Ron DeSantis signed legislation aimed at protecting victims of digital sexual abuse by ensuring a swift process for removing exploitative materials from online platforms.