Kansas high school teacher charged with child porn and sex crimes, feds say

Federal prosecutors have charged a Kansas teacher and coach with child pornography and sex crimes.

Seaman High School basketball coach Jeffrey D. Pierce, 40, of Topeka, was charged Wednesday in federal court with sexually exploiting children, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release.

The school’s website states that Pierce is the coach for the junior varsity boys basketball team, an assistant cross country coach and teaches freshman world history.

The criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Topeka lists three counts of sexual exploitation of a child. Two of the counts allege he produced child porn on March 10 and again on March 14. One count alleges he possessed child porn on Wednesday, when the charges were filed.

The production of child porn charges allege that Pierce “did knowingly employ, use, persuade, induce, entice, or coerce any minor, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing any visual depiction.”

The available public records do not specify whether the alleged crimes happened at school. The detective on the case was a task force officer with the Topeka Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

“If convicted, Pierce could face a penalty of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years in federal prison on each production count, and up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession count,” McAllister said in the statement.

This story was originally published September 2, 2020 at 5:15 PM.