LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville Catholic school teacher accused of distributing child pornography that featured the photoshopped faces of students could spend life in prison if he's convicted.

Jordan Fautz, 39, was charged with distributing child pornography, distributing obscene visual representation of child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography between March 31, 2022, to Feb. 2, 2024. The United States Department of Justice said Fautz, a seventh and eighth grade religion teacher at St. Stephen Martyr Catholic School, sent child sexual abuse materials to a law enforcement officer who was working undercover online.

Fautz appeared before a federal judge Monday for his arraignment, where he pleaded not guilty on his six federal charges as he continued to be held without bond.

"Each one of those counts carries up to 20 years," Frank Mascagni, Fautz's attorney, said after the hearing Monday. "So, theoretically, it looks like he's looking at 100-120 years. But those sentences will be greatly modified by the federal sentencing guidelines."

Jordan Fautz, 39, was charged with distributing child pornography, distributing obscene visual representation of child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography between March 31, 2022, to Feb. 2, 2024.

Court documents say Fautz used yearbook photos of students and at least one adult from the school. The distributed images had photoshopped faces of students and the adult onto other nude images. 

The FBI said a folder sent by Fautz to an undercover agent contained 115 images of "mostly teenage girls, labeled with what appears to be their real names," the FBI said. 

"This folder contained non-pornographic images ... that appear to have been taken at St. Stephen Martyr Catholic School and Church," court documents say.

Some photos showed students wearing "clearly labeled red shirts" with the letters "SSM and in front of a "SSMCardinals" photo backdrop, investigators said.

FBI investigators also found that Fautz used the school's computer system for some of what he's charged with.

Archdiocesan and FBI officials held a meeting earlier this month at the school to provide information to parents and answer their questions and concerns moving forward. St. Stephan Martyr Principal Stephanie Longshore said in a letter to parents that several action items came out of the meeting, including:

  • Changing key access to buildings on campus
  • Removing banners with students' face from outside the school and taking town all school-related Facebook pages
  • Rescinding all photo release permission slips previously signed by parents
  • Looking into scanning the building to ensure no electronic devices were unlawfully installed

In a letter to St. Stephen Martyr parents dated Feb. 3, Archbishop Shelton Fabre said the archdiocese is "ready to provide assistance to the St. Stephen Martyr community."

"I join with all in extending my deep concern and sorrow to the St. Stephen Martyr community as we deal with the very serious charges brought against Mr. Fautz by the Assistant U.S. Attorney," Fabre wrote. "As we walk this difficult journey with the Lord Jesus Christ at our side, we strive to bring the hope, healing, and peace of Jesus Christ to all involved.

"I am asking all Catholics in the Archdiocese to keep the St. Stephen Martyr community in your prayers."

Fautz will remain in federal custody, and Mascagni said he's not doing well.

"He has no prior criminal record," Mascagni said Monday. "All of a sudden, he's in jail, separated from his family and his wife. ... just the sheer trauma of being removed from your home, to all of a sudden being placed in custody and then being ordered detained."

The case is scheduled to go to trial May 6.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The FBI is investigating and the FBI Louisville Field Office is looking to identify potential victims in the case. To contact the FBI, email SSMtips@fbi.gov.

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