LOUISVILLE, Ky. — At the Gene Snyder Federal Building on Tuesday, a judge ruled in a detention hearing to keep former St. Martyr Catholic School teacher Jordan Fautz in custody for allegedly creating and distributing child pornography. The federal judge ultimately made the decision to keep him in custody because they still deem him a danger to society and to more students at that school.
Fautz was a part-time 7th and 8th grade religion teacher and is accused of photoshopping photos of students onto explicitly sexual images. His family members were in attendance along with several students who may be victims of his alleged crime. Some parents of those students were also seated along with the children showed emotions while federal prosecutors listed their evidence against the former teacher.
Prosecutors said there are dozens more victims that have yet to be identified and that the evidence they've obtained is deeply troubling. They claim that Fautz fabricated sexually explicit images of his students by using real photos including graduation pictures. They said Fautz could still have access to more unidentified victims making him a threat to the community.
Fautz' defense attorney, Frank Mascagni, made the argument he's not a physical threat to anyone because he never requested anything from the students. He asked the judge to put his client on house arrest instead of a high security jail because of his mental health condition and medication needs.
"The report said he had a previous diagnosis of bipolar and anxiety," Mascagni said. "You citizens think all these citizens get the appropriate medication. No, that's why I was angry."
The judge did not agree with this reasoning and decided to keep him in federal custody.
Meanwhile, in Frankfort, a bill to bring harsher penalties to crimes like this one was just passed in the state house.
House Bill 207 makes it a felony on a state level to possess or traffic a "child sex doll." It also states a person is guilty of promoting a sexual performance if he or she produces, directs, or promotes any performance which includes sexual conduct by a minor or digitization of a minor.
State Representative Pamela Stevenson (D-43), who sponsored the legislation, said it specifically address the dangers of AI.
"That's what this bill does it makes it easier because we outline it," Stevenson said. "If you are found to have done these things – bought sex toys that look like children, made AI pictures with children then you can be prosecuted under this stature."
Mascagni said his client has pleaded not guilty and that a grand jury will oversee the evidence and decide whether to indict. Fautz will be back in court February 26, but until then federal prosecutors are still looking to identify the unknown victims.
If you believe your child is a possible victim in this case, or may have information then you can email the local FBI division by clicking here.
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