Middle school teacher pleads guilty to child sex crimes, faces minimum 10 years and massive fine

A Nebraska middle school teacher was convicted of a sex crime involving a minor after an undercover FBI operation caught him red-handed.

Andrew Heller of Wynot, Nebraska, was arrested in July and has pleaded guilty to one charge of attempted seduction of a minor.

After KTIV TVThe conviction carries a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life and a $250,000 fine.

The conviction was announced Jan. 13 by a federal court in Sioux City, Iowa, with Heller being held in custody by US marshals pending sentencing.

Heller became involved in an FBI operation aimed at luring out “individuals involved in human trafficking in Sioux City,” KTIV reported.

Authorities have placed an ad on a popular dating app, posing as adults, offering sexual services for money.

Heller contacted the hidden phone number, and an FBI agent posed as a 14-year-old girl. Heller promised $200 and alcohol as payment for sex.

A meeting was arranged and when Heller arrived he was arrested and searched. The police found money, alcohol and contraceptives.

Unfortunately, Heller isn’t the only example of a teacher complicit in disturbing crimes against children.

After FoxNews349 K-12 educators were arrested in the US in 2022 for child sex crimes.

Three quarters of those cases involved the very students who were supposed to educate and protect the suspects.

While these numbers are discouraging to say the least, many are not shocked.

“This is neither surprising nor new, although it is difficult to accept,” said Erika Sanzi of Parents Defending Education.

“Since the beginning of time, sex offenders have found a way to nestle in large environments, and schools are no exception.

“Smartphones and encrypted apps have increased access to young children and young people, and while it’s a tiny fraction of educators who engage in this predatory behavior, we need to do a much better job of protecting children while maintaining due process.” to respect. It’s a sensitive issue, but hiding from it is not an option,” she said.

Given that Fox’s analysis included only “publicized arrests and cannot count undetected or unreported forms of abuse,” the actual number of predatory educators is likely higher, said Corey DeAngelis, senior fellow at the American Federation for Children.

In fact, a 2004 US Department of Education report estimated that approximately one in ten public school students will experience sexual misconduct by educators by the time they graduate from high school. The Department of Education should update the report as soon as possible to shed light on this abuse.”