Former Gainesville preschool teacher sentenced to 120 years for producing child porn
A former Gainesville preschool teacher has been sentenced to 120 years behind bars after being convicted on multiple counts of producing child pornography.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced Tuesday that Trevor Alec Hruby, 24, of Gainesville, pleaded guilty to four of his original five charges for producing images of children within his care.
In July, Hruby was indicted for the crimes after being arrested a year earlier for sexually battering and molesting multiple children around 3 to 6 years old.
“There is no greater charge than the protection of our children,” said U.S. Attorney Jason R. Coody, who announced the sentencing. “This sentence is yet another example of the unwavering commitment to the protection of our most vulnerable and should serve as a significant deterrent to those who would attempt to harm them.”
More:Federal grand jury indicts former Gainesville preschool teacher on child porn charges
More:Gainesville day care teacher charged with sexual battery of child
Convicted man sexually victimized several children at Gainesville preschool
While employed at A Child’s Dream Preschool, located at 4127 NW 34th St. in Gainesville, Hruby sexually victimized and produced sexually explicit images of numerous children in his care between December 2020 and September 2021, an investigation found. Images were also found in his possession upon his arrest.
A 3-year-old girl told an investigator that Hruby sexually battered her with his hand during nap time, according to a police report. Investigators said surveillance video also shows Hruby intentionally moving the girl from her cot to one that is out of the camera’s direct view.
He later was seen sitting next to the girl and moving his left arm over the area of her body. Minutes later, the girl walked to the bathroom and stayed several minutes, the report states.
The girl appeared to avoid Hruby when she came out. She went to her cot and he reportedly kneeled next to it, with most of his body out of the camera’s view, for several minutes before walking away.
Later, while under police questioning, Hruby reportedly admitted to touching the girl. He also admitted to doing the same thing to another 3-year-old at the day care, police said. Surveillance video from Sept. 10, 2021, captured the incident, police said.
Hruby's arrest report states that he was aware of the camera and blind spots and was also accused of molesting a child at a different day care a year before being investigated.
Gainesville Police Chief Lonnie Scott thanked those involved in the investigation, which included the FBI, who helped seek justice for the victims and their families.
“One of the primary responsibilities of law enforcement is to protect our most precious resources; ourchildren,” he said. “... Together, working with our community we will diligently pursue those that prey on our children and make sure they never have the opportunity to victimize another child.”
Though unlikely, if released from imprisonment, Hruby must be supervised for the remainder of his life. He will berequired to register as a sex offender and will be subject to all sex offender conditions.
The court also ordered Hruby to pay $142,500 in restitution to provide for counseling to the victims in the case.
“Instead of protecting vulnerable children in our community, this defendant chose to abuse his position of authority and sexually exploit them,” said Sherri E. Onks, the special agent in charge of the FBI Jacksonville division, in a release from the DOJ. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the unwavering dedication of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to seek justice for our most innocent victims.”
Hruby is also facing separate, related state charges being prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for Eighth Judicial Circuit.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Gainesville, Florida preschool teacher sentenced for child porn
