A now-fired Texas preschool employee has admitted to paying two boys, one just 12 years old, $200 to record sexually explicit videos.
The investigation into Mark Penfield Eihorn, 27, began when the parents of a 13-year-old Georgia boy noticed their son suddenly had more money in his bank account than he needed, according to court documents. It started Get it at KTAB.
The boy and his 12-year-old friend later told investigators that a sick school employee contacted them on Snapchat and sent them $200 through Venmo in exchange for a 90-second video of child pornography. . federal prosecutors said.
In response, the kindergarten teacher's assistant acknowledged that she knew the boys were young, but suggested there were other boys, prosecutors said.
“Just those two?” he asked when he was told that the boys were under investigation in Georgia.
Police then searched Eichhorn's electronic devices and found naked images of children who appeared to be under the age of 10, according to court documents.
He also admitted to inappropriately touching the child, according to the indictment.
Eichhorn pleaded guilty Tuesday to producing child pornography, a charge that could carry up to 30 years in federal prison followed by lifetime supervised release, prosecutors announced.
He still faces additional federal charges of indecency with a child.
The pedophile was then working as an assistant teacher at St. John's Episcopal School in Abilene, where the principal and teacher were also arrested in January on suspicion of ignoring accusations that Eichhorn inappropriately touched a student. are. According to KTXS-12.
The child's mother reported the abuse to the teacher, Kelsey Alexander, 34, who reported it to the school's principal, Rebecca McMillon, 55, both of whom reported the abuse as required by Texas law. He said he did not report it to the state Department of Family Protection or law enforcement. said the outlet.
Instead, McMillon simply told Eichhorn about the complaint, dismissed it, and told the child's parents that “nothing bad happened.” The teaching assistant thought she was just helping him hang up his belt in the bathroom.
Eichhorn was finally fired after his arrest in May.
Alexander and McMillon were then arrested in July and charged with two counts of failing to request a child abuse report.
Both men were released on bail totaling $8,000.
