Former Columbus teacher faces federal charges of taking sexual videos, photos of students
A former Columbus Alternative High School teacher is now facing federal charges alleging that he methodically and systematically used hidden cameras to take tens of thousands of sexually explicit videos and videos of students at school.
Justin Foley, 47, of Delaware, Ohio, appeared at the U.S. District Courthouse in Columbus on Wednesday after a federal criminal complaint and warrant were issued for his arrest. He was employed as a chemistry teacher at Columbus Alternative High School at the time of his alleged offenses before resigning Oct. 5 after state charges were initially filed against him.
He is charged in federal court with sexually exploiting minors and distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography. Foley is accused of using his cellphone and other digital camera devices in a hidden manner to capture female genitalia under skirts and shorts.
Jennifer Adair, Columbus City school board president, told The Dispatch that the district is fully complying with law enforcement investigators and is encouraging those students who believe they might have been victimized to come forward.
Adair said the district does not tolerate the conduct Foley is charged with, and said it is offering social and emotional resources for students who may be impacted.
“What he's being indicted for is very serious, and we know it has a direct impact on our students and staff who were there,” Adair said.
Columbus City Schools is working with law enforcement during the investigation, and the district is asking staff and families to contact the Delaware Police Department with any helpful information, said district spokesperson Jacqueline Bryant.
Foley was initially arrested Sept. 20 by the Delaware Police Department after admitting to having more than 5,000 images and more than 160 videos of child pornography on his cellphone and other electronic devices, The Dispatch previously reported.
In August, Delaware police received CyberTip reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) regarding numerous images of apparent child pornography that were uploaded via Google email accounts, according to federal court documents. The accounts were later traced to Foley.
Delaware police alleged that Foley’s email accounts contained numerous upskirt and voyeuristic videos that appear to have been self-produced, including videos recorded at Columbus Alternative High School, at local department stores in central Ohio, in public areas of downtown Delaware, and in dressing rooms. The victims were not aware they were being recorded, police allege.
Investigators state that he had created some of these videos as recently as the week prior to his arrest, and that some of the sexually explicit content involved students at Columbus Alternative High School. Court documents state that Foley admitted to creating videos in the classroom and hallways of the school.
At least two Columbus Alternative High School students were identified in the sexually explicit photos and videos, one from 2018 and another from August and September 2022, according to court records. Foley would allegedly follow the girls and take videos, from which he produced dozens of lewd still images. Both victims were believed to be around 15 years old at the time.
Delaware County law enforcement officials executed a search warrant Sept 20 at Foley’s residence in Delaware.
Foley was arrested and charged with violations of state law in Delaware County. His federal charges will supersede those charges.
Sexually exploiting a minor is a federal crime punishable by 15 to 30 years in prison if convicted. Conviction on a federal charge of distribution and receipt of child pornography is punishable by five to 20 years in prison.
After his arrest, Columbus City Schools' immediately suspended Foley, who had been with the district since 2013. The Columbus City School Board voted in September to begin the process of terminating him. Foley resigned the next day.
The district submitted an Educator Misconduct report with the Ohio Department of Education and "will provide ongoing support to ODE in their efforts to address Mr. Foley's licensure status and potential disciplinary action."
Justin Foley’s wife, Jamie Foley, continues to work at Columbus Alternative High School, Bryant said.
“Mrs. Foley is a well-respected teacher at Columbus Alternative High School,” Bryant said. “The district and the CAHS community support her.”
Jamie Foley is the high school’s English chair, according to the school’s website.
Reporter Megan Henry contributed to this report.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Alternative teacher now facing federal child porn charges
