Former Fort Worth high school teacher sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for producing child pornography

FORT WORTH, Texas — A former Fort Worth high school teacher was sentenced Tuesday before Senior U.S. District Judge Terry R. Means to 20 years in federal prison for producing child pornography.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.  This case was investigated by the following agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Tarrant County (Texas) District Attorney’s Office, Macomb County (Michigan) Sheriff’s Office, and Eastpointe (Michigan) Police Department.

Matthew Anthony Keller, 25, of Watauga, Texas, who, according to police reports, taught at Southwest High School in Fort Worth, pleaded guilty to one count of producing child pornography in October 2016.  He has been in custody since his arrest in July 2016.

“I’m always deeply disturbed by those who produce child pornography, said U.S. Attorney Parker, but it’s particularly appalling when the child is victimized by a teacher, someone in a trusted position.”

According to documents filed in the case, on Aug. 6, 2014, Keller persuaded a minor victim to produce and send a nude, sexually explicit video to him.  Keller met the minor victim on a website  The victim first advised Keller that he was 18 years old, and then later admitted he was only 13 years old.  Two years later, the parents of the then 15-year-old male (MV1) notified a police department in Macomb County that they had discovered a relationship between their son and Keller. The parent advised that Keller was a 24-year-old high school teacher who exchanged nude photos and videos with MV1 for about 18 months.

Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Saleem, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.

This investigation was conducted under HSI’s Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 16,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2016, more than 2,600 child predators were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative and more than 800 victims identified or rescued.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. From outside the U.S. and Canada, callers should dial 802-872-6199. Hearing impaired users can call TTY 802-872-6196.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI’s Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page. HSI is a founding member of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.