COLUMBUS, Ohio – Gregory R. Lee, 53, of Columbus, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court to 262 months in prison and 20 years of supervised release and a $10,000 fine for production of child pornography.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien, Westerville Police Chief Joseph Morbitzer, Dublin Police Chief Heinz von Eckartsberg and other members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force announced the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Watson.
According to the Statement of Facts in this case, the parents of a teenage female contacted Dublin Police in May 2017 after discovering information in the teenager’s personal journal regarding sexual activity with Lee, who had been her high school teacher at Dublin Scioto High School.
While being interviewed by law enforcement, the victim admitted that she and Lee engaged in oral sex on numerous occasions in Lee’s classroom and in his vehicle beginning when she was 15 years old. She said Lee also instructed her to create and exchange nude photographs through her phone.
A forensic examination of Lee’s electronic devices uncovered approximately 234 images of the victim, at least 49 of which depicted the minor in various stages of nudity. The victim confirmed that Lee had taken some of the nude pictures of her that were found on his devices.
The forensic examination also revealed nude images of another female that was believed to be a former student of Lee’s. The former student confirmed that she took the photographs with her cell phone when she was 17 years old and sent them to Lee.
“This offense involves a significant violation of the trust placed in Lee as a teacher,” U.S. Attorney Glassman said. “He engaged in a sexual relationship with a student who was more than 30 years his junior. She was a child, and it was his duty as the adult to prevent any inappropriate interactions with his students. He failed that duty miserably, and his sentence today reflects the seriousness of his crime.”
U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the investigation of this case by the FBI, Dublin Police and Task Force Officers, as well as Assistant United States Attorney Heather A. Hill and Special Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer M. Rausch, Director, Franklin County Special Victim’s Unit, who are representing the United States in this case.
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