Federal Child Porn Charges Filed Against Teacher's Aide

UPPER MARLBORO, MD — Federal officials have taken the lead in prosecuting the child pornography case unearthed in a Prince George’s County elementary school, with eight counts filed Tuesday by the U.S. Attorney’s office.

At a press conference, United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod Rosenstein said his office filed charges of producing child pornography against suspect Deonte Carraway. Those charges carry a total of 120 years in prison, which would effectively make it a life prison sentence for Carraway if he is convicted.

The lesson is it’s critical for parents to be aware of what your children is doing online, whether that’s through a phone or computer, Rosenstein said.

“Feel like you have an obligation to know what is going on through their smart phones and computers,” he said at an afternoon press conference.

The federal prosecutor noted that one allegation of abuse that happend at the Glenardden elementary school, where Carraway took a child to a dressing room and told the boy to disrobe. When the student refused, Carraway allegedly threatened the boy.

Rosenstein urged parents to warn their children that if anyone touches them or tells them to take off their clothes, that youngsters must tell a parent right away.

Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Sharon Alsobrooks said her office will prosecute Carraway on several counts, including first-degree child sex abuse, second-degree sex abuse, second-degree attempted sex abuse, assault and other charges all tied to one victim.

“These charges have kept many of us up at night. They are devastating,” Alsobrooks said.

Prince George’s County Police Chief Hank Stawinski said his officers will continue to investigate how Carraway gained the access and trust of the community. And to determine whether anyone else helped Carraway in the alleged abuse.

Police are also looking into how he purchased numerous cell phones and other equipment needed to film the children, and share videos. With the help of the FBI, investigators can track whether Carraway had any collaborators, Stawinski said.

Prosecutors have not yet determined with the local or federal charges will be pursued first, Alsobrooks said.

Carraway is charged with multiple counts of sex offenses and child pornography after several alleged incidents involving students at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School, the Glenarden Municipal Center, Theresa Banks Memorial Aquatic Center, the Zion Praise Tabernacle Lutheran Church and several private homes.

Families Urged to Call FBI

FBI Special Agent in Charge Kevin Perkins reiterated the plea that anyone with information about the case, or other victims, contact authorities.

Call the FBI’s Baltimore office at 800-CALL-FBI or call the Prince George’s County Police at 301-772-4930.

Federal prosecutors would not have to call children to testify to prove the charges of producing child pornography. That will be a factor in determining how Carraway’s case proceeds, Alsobrooks said.

Carraway, 22, of Glenarden, worked as a teacher’s assistant at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School in Glenarden. On school grounds, he reportedly filmed children in sex acts with each other, and he is accused of sexually abusing children between the ages of 9 and 13.

Authorities said other instances of abuse took place at the Glenarden Municipal Center, the Theresa Banks Memorial Aquatic Center and Zion Praise Tabernacle Lutheran Church on Laurel Bowie Road in Bowie, reports The Washington Post.

Carraway was originally charged with 10 counts of felony child pornography, sexual abuse of a minor and second-degree sexual offense.

Police said they found 40 videos Carraway made of children engaging in sex acts at the suspect’s direction.

Recently, the suspect spoke with FOX 5’s Marina Marraco at the Prince George’s County Correctional Center, where he is being held without bond. Carraway told FOX that he never engaged in sex acts with children, but watched as they performed acts on camera.

»Watch the FOX 5 report on jailhouse interview with Deonte Carraway.

The interactions were recorded on cell phone, and Carraway says they were sent to him by the Kik app. The suspect denied wrongdoing, saying he felt as if he was just one of the kids.

SEE ALSO:

• Teacher’s Assistant Made Child Porn In Elementary School: Police
• Principal on Leave, School Sued in Child Porn Case: Update
• ‘Vile Incident’: Number of Child Victims Increases
• Child Sex Abuse Suspect Denies Wrongdoing; Second Lawsuit Filed

School Training, Reviews Under Way

“As a father, grandfather, and educator that has dedicated my life to the education and safety of students across the state of Maryland, my heart goes out to the families and victims at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School and the entire Glenarden community,” said Maxwell during a press conference on Feb. 10. “I, like many, was shocked, appalled, disgusted, and disheartened by the allegations that a former PGCPS employee harmed students and vulnerable children.”

Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School Principal Michelle Williams has been placed on administrative leave as the school district and principal face two lawsuits from young victims, WJLA reports.

Second Lawsuit Filed By Abuse Victim

A lawsuit reportedly filed against Prince George’s County Public Schools claims that the predatory behavior of Carraway was well known by students, teachers and parents and reported to the school’s principal, says WTOP.

The guardian of a 9-year-old boy allegedly assaulted by Carraway has filed the legal action. An adult relative of the boy first discovered a sexually explicit photo Carraway sent to the child via cell phone, and reported it to police, which launched the investigation.

According to the lawsuit, other students were also sexually abused by Carraway, who coerced youngsters to engage in sex acts with him and with each other on school property during the school day.

NBC Washington reports the family of another alleged victim, an 11-year-old boy in the school choir, identified as John Doe 2, filed for a class-action lawsuit on Feb. 11 against the school board and principal Williams.

The second family’s lawyer, David Simpson, said, “Unfortunately, the more we keep looking, the more we keep finding and the broader the whole matter seems to be getting,” he said.

Other students in the victim’s fourth-grade class, perhaps as many as 30 children, may have been victims of Carraway, the plaintiffs claim.

“Carraway’s abuse was common knowledge among students at Sylvania Woods,” WTOP reports the lawsuit says. “Parents and teachers at Sylvania Woods Elementary School had expressed concern and/or raised issues about Carraway’s predatory behavior to Principal Michelle Williams, but she took no action.”

»Photo: Abuse suspect Deonte Carraway, courtesy of Prince George’s County Police