A Catholic school teacher in Kentucky has been indicted for using student yearbook photos to create child porn images, and now parents are suing the Archdiocese of Louisville for ignoring the warning signs.
The teacher, Jordan Fautz, 39, was arrested on February 2 for distributing obscene visual representations of child sexual abuse, distributing child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
Fautz had taught seventh and eighth-grade religion at St. Stephen Martyr Catholic School at the time of his crimes, which are said to have occurred between March 2022 and February 2024. He was fired at the time of his arrest.
Law & Crime reports:FBI agents busted Fautz distributing images on a social networking app of a nude photo collage using the real names of a minor girl between 12 to 15 years old and her mother, authorities said. Fautz allegedly used Photoshop or morphing technology to input non-sexual yearbook photos onto pornographic images and videos. The girl had on a red shirt with the letters SSM, the school’s initials, standing in front of a SSMCardinals school photo backdrop, according to the complaint.
An undercover FBI agent began communicating with Fautz on the social media app. Fautz allegedly sent the agent more than 200 of the same kind of photos and videos of the daughter and mother. This also included another student, whose name he used as well, authorities said. Agents identified Fautz through his computer’s IP address. Investigators learned he sent the images from home and at the school, the complaint said. Fautz was arrested on Feb. 2 and indicted Feb. 21.
On March 7, 11 students and parents filed the lawsuit claiming that the Archdiocese and the school had ignored evidence of Fautz behaving inappropriately for years.
Fautz's mother was the business manager at the school. Part of her job included overseeing the vetting and approving of employees.
The teacher had reportedly thrown chairs in the classroom, threatened to kill students, and engaged in other shocking behavior.
It is also alleged that Fautz had an inappropriate relationship with a student, and instead of him being punished, the school put “parameters” on the teenager.
If convicted, Fautz faces up to 120 years in prison.
