Former Fauquier County School Teacher Convicted of Producing Child Pornography with Student

ALEXANDRIA, VA—A former science teacher at Cedar Lee Middle School was convicted today of producing child pornography by filming himself engaging in sexual activity with a student. The teacher—Scott Christopher Howe, 34, of Fauquier County, Va.—faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 4, 2010.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Shawn Henry, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office; and Charlie Ray Fox, Fauquier County Sheriff, made the announcement after United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema found Howe guilty on three counts of producing child pornography.

“It’s sickening to think a teacher would take advantage of a student,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “These are disgusting videos, and they represent the worst nightmares of any parent. My Office is doing everything it can to protect young people from sexual predators and ensure they are caught and are unable to prey on others.”

According to court records and evidence presented at trial, Howe used a video camera to film the student—who was 14 and 15 years old at the time—engaging in various forms of sexual activity alone or with Howe in Howe’s classroom and at two of his residences.

This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Fauquier County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jerry Smagala and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Zeeman are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pacer.login.uscourts.gov.