Brooklyn teacher accused of producing child pornography
BROOKLYN, New York City (WABC) -- A Brooklyn high school teacher is under arrest, accused of producing child pornography.
Jonathan Deutsch, 34, was a teacher at Leon M. Goldstein High School for the Sciences.
He is accused of contacting hundreds of underage children ranging in age from 10 to 16 on Facebook, also using the aliases Sam Morgan and Jay Stern.
Investigators say he had communications of sexual nature with at least 45 of them and solicited and received sexually explicit photos and videos, as well as sending pictures and videos of himself.
"As alleged, Jonathan Deutsch, a Brooklyn high school teacher, solicited and received sexually explicit material from minors he contacted on Facebook," United States Attorney Richard Donoghue said. "The protection of innocent children is an utmost priority for this Office and our law enforcement partners. We will continue to make every effort to ensure that those who contribute to the exploitation and victimization of children will be brought to justice."
Investigators do not believe the victims were his students.
Deutsch is charged with five counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
The FBI New York Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force encourages anyone who may believe their child could be a victim to call their office at 212-384-1000.
According to court filings, beginning around January 2017, Deutsch targeted Facebook users who appeared from their profiles to be minors and then contacted them using Facebook messenger in an attempt to develop a relationship. Authorities say Deutsch often disclosed his status as a teacher, as part of what they describe as part of a broader effort to groom the minors for sexual exploitation.
If convicted, Deutsch faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison.
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