Imagine finding a significant amount of extra money in your 13-year-old son’s bank account.
Curious, you ask him where it came from, and his response sends chills down your spine.
He reveals that he was paid to create a pornographic video of himself.
This horrifying discovery led to the arrest of a former preschool teacher’s assistant, Mark Penfield Eichorn.
A Disturbing Revelation
Eichorn, 27, allegedly paid the 13-year-old boy $200 to produce the explicit video.
But the story doesn’t end there. Investigations revealed that a 12-year-old friend of the victim was also involved in the 90-second clip.
Eichorn, who was working as a teacher’s assistant at St. John’s Episcopal School in Abilene, Texas, at the time, admitted to paying the children through Venmo after connecting with them on Snapchat.
A Shocking Confession
When confronted about his actions, Eichorn’s response was even more disturbing.
He reportedly asked, “Just those two?” This statement implied that he may have been involved in similar activities with other children.
The former teacher’s aide also confessed to knowing the children’s ages and soliciting the video despite their young years.
He further admitted to trading child pornography on social media and inappropriately touching a child.
A Disturbing Discovery
Authorities conducted a search warrant of Eichorn’s home and found nude images of children under the age of 10 on his cellphone.
These disturbing images provided further evidence of his criminal activities.
Eichorn was arrested on May 9 and fired from his position at the school.
He was eventually indicted by a grand jury on charges of possession with intent to promote child pornography and possession of child porn.
A Guilty Plea and Severe Consequences
In a federal court, Eichorn pleaded guilty to the charges of production of child pornography.
He faces a potential sentence of 15 to 35 years in prison. Additionally, he faces federal charges for indecency with a child.
Eichorn is expected to be re-arrested on these charges and will likely face a federal detention hearing.
School Officials Also Charged
The scandal didn’t stop with Eichorn’s arrest.
Another teacher and the headmistress of St. John’s Episcopal School are also facing charges for failing to report child abuse.
A family from the school came forward after Eichorn’s arrest and claimed that their son had made allegations of inappropriate touching by Eichorn.
Despite the mother reporting the incident to the boy’s teacher and the school director, no action was taken.
The school officials were arrested in July but were later released on bond.
What’s Next?
The disturbing case of Mark Penfield Eichorn raises serious questions about child safety and the responsibility of schools to protect their students.
As the legal proceedings continue, it remains to be seen what the full extent of his crimes will be and what consequences he and the school officials will face.