According to a complaint filed against the Archdiocese of Louisville, the Catholic school teacher in Kentucky charged with utilizing yearbook photos of students and morphing them into pictures of naked bodies had an inappropriate interaction with one of the children.
Last month, federal prosecutors in the Western District of Kentucky indicted Jordan Fautz, 39, on charges of distributing child pornography and obscene graphic representations of child sexual abuse. At Louisville’s St. Stephen Martyr Catholic School, Fautz taught seventh and eighth-grade students.
FBI investigators apprehended Fautz for disseminating photographs of a nude photo collage on a social networking app using the true names of a juvenile girl aged 12 to 15 and her mother, according to authorities.
Fautz allegedly utilized Photoshop or morphing technologies to combine non-sexual yearbook photos with pornographic images and videos. According to the complaint, the girl wore a red blouse with the letters SSM, the school’s initials, and stood in front of an SSMCardinals school photo backdrop.
An undercover FBI agent started conversing with Fautz using the social networking app. Fautz allegedly supplied the agent with over 200 such images and videos of the daughter and mother.
Authorities say he also used the name of another student. Agents recognized Fautz based on his computer’s IP address. According to the complaint, investigators discovered that he sent the photographs from both his home and school. Fautz was detained on February 2 and indicted on February 21.
Now 11 parents and kids are suing the Archdiocese of Louisville, alleging that the school ignored warning signs about Fautz for years. According to local CBS station WLKY, the case was filed on March 7 in Jefferson County Circuit Court.
The lawsuit claims Fautz’s mother was the business manager in charge of vetting and approving new employees when he was employed. It is also reported that he used his own “homemade” computer rather than the school’s given laptop. This is the PC that he allegedly used to distribute pornographic photos.
WLFY further states that the lawsuit highlights Fautz’s troubling behavior, such as tossing chairs in the classroom and cursing out kids. He allegedly promised kids that he would “kill them.” According to the lawsuit, a week before his arrest, he referred to a pupil as a “moron” and a “a-hole.” The school never disciplined Fautz.
Fautz also had inappropriate contact with a student, but rather than penalizing him, the school imposed “parameters” on the youngster, according to the lawsuit.
If convicted of the criminal charges, Fautz could face up to 120 years in jail. His next court date is set for May.
According to the diocese, he had worked at the school for nine years until being fired following his arrest. It has not responded to the suit.
Anyone with information regarding Fautz or his victims should email the FBI at [email protected].