Former Mid-Del educator sentenced to 45 years in prison on child pornography convictions
A former elementary school educator in the Midwest City-Del City school district was given a 45-year prison sentence this week tafter he pleaded guilty to producing and possessing child pornography.
Greg Allen Henke, 43, of Oklahoma City, also must pay $87,000 in victims' restitution, the judge ruled.
Henke, who worked at Mid-Del's Highland Park Elementary School with special needs students, was arrested by FBI agents in May 2021 after meeting with an undercover agent in an attempt to engage in sexual activities involving children, a release issued then by federal prosecutors stated.
A federal grand jury indicted Henke in September 2021 on accusations he had attempted to view child pornography, had attempted to coerce and entice a minor into committing sexual acts, and had possessed and produced child pornography.
Specifically, the jury's indictment accused Henke of getting two students at a local elementary school to engage in sexually explicit conduct that he captured using a cell phone.
Henke entered guilty pleas in November 2021 to one count of possessing child pornography and one count of the production of child pornography.
The investigation, prosecution and court proceedings were conducted as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative that uses federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims.
“Henke preyed on innocent children without regard for the grievous and long-lasting harm his depraved conduct would cause them,” said Edward J. Gray, the special agent in charge of Oklahoma City's FBI field office.
"Henke violated his position of trust as an educator of special needs children when he chose to sexually abuse and exploit these vulnerable children who could not defend themselves,” U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester said.
“Although no sentence can restore the innocence to these child victims, our community is safer with him behind bars. Today’s sentence sends a clear message that my office and the FBI stand ready to respond with thorough investigations, aggressive prosecutions, and determined advocacy in pursuing those who seek to abuse children, whether it occurs behind a keyboard or closed doors.”
At the sentencing, senior U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton also ordered lifetime supervision for Henke if he is released from prison, noting the defendant, who had held a position of trust as an educator of special needs youths, had a two-decades-long history of sexually abusing children.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Former Mid-Del school employee sentenced after child porn conviction
