“I WILL NEVER GET CAUGHT”!!! BELIEVE IT OR NOT, POLICE SAY A HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEACHER SHARED CHILD EXPLOITATION IMAGES ONLINE… AND NOW HE FACES FORTY FELONY COUNTS AFTER BEING ARRESTED AT SCHOOL.
James Michael Powell is a 41-year-old math teacher at Martha Layne Collins High School.
On August 24, police arrested Powell directly at the high school at approximately 2:09 p.m.
He faces 40 felony charges accusing him of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material online.
Half of the charges filed against him involve material depicting children under the age of 12.
According to authorities, Powell faces 10 counts of possession involving depictions of children younger than 12.
He also faces 10 counts of distribution involving material depicting children younger than 12.
Police charged him with another 10 possession counts involving children between the ages of 12 and 17.
The remaining 10 charges accuse him of distribution involving children between the ages of 12 and 17.
The charges accuse Powell of possessing material depicting the sexual exploitation of children and distributing it to other people.
Court records state that the case began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a report from an online messaging platform.
That report identified an account allegedly possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
Then, the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch uncovered Powell allegedly sharing child-exploitation images during an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children investigation.
Investigators executed search warrants on August 24 at Powell’s home in Shelbyville.
They also conducted a search of Martha Layne Collins High School on that same date.
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Police seized multiple electronic devices from both locations during the searches.
Those seized items were sent directly to the Kentucky State Police forensic laboratory for formal examination.
The forensic examination of the seized devices remains underway.
And the criminal investigation remains active.
The 20 charges involving children under 12 are Class C felonies under Kentucky law.
Each Class C felony carries a potential prison term of five to 10 years upon conviction.
The 20 charges involving children between 12 and 17 are Class D felonies.
Each Class D felony carries between one and five years in prison if Powell is convicted.
The court would ultimately determine how any resulting prison sentences are served.
Following his arrest on school grounds, police transported Powell and booked him inside the Shelby County Detention Center.
Shelby County Public Schools stated that the district is cooperating with investigators.
The school district also stated that it currently has no reason to believe any district students are connected to the allegations.
Yet the legal process against the teacher has already moved into the courtroom.
Powell entered a plea of not guilty during his first court appearance the morning after his arrest.
He is scheduled to return to court next week.
The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
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