VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A former Volusia County teacher was convicted this week on multiple child pornography and animal abuse charges after investigators said they uncovered explicit images and evidence he used school Wi‑Fi to share illegal material.
In a release, police said the investigation began back in June following a cyber tip from the social media platform Discord.
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Per the release, detectives began investigating the man — identified as David McKeown, 47 — by searching his home and UBIC Academy, where he worked as a sixth-grade teacher.
After seizing several of his electronic devices and looking through his social media, detectives said they recovered 19 images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and six images of sexual activities involving animals.
Investigators revealed that McKeown had also been using school Wi-Fi to send and receive child pornography during school hours.
“When reviewing McKeown’s social media account, detectives discovered several messages where he was communicating with other users, disseminating students’ personal information, sending their photographs, and appeared to utilize artificial intelligence to generate child pornography,” the release reads.
In addition, police announced that McKeown had photographed himself performing sexual acts on the family pet to manufacture animal pornography.
Months after his arrest, on Dec. 1, McKeown was ultimately found guilty on 18 counts of child pornography possession, one count of aggravated child pornography possession, and six counts of sexual conduct with an animal.
“The abuse and trauma this predator inflicted is sick, and he deserves every moment of this sentence,” Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier said. “We will always seek the longest sentence possible for anyone who harms innocent children or defenseless animals.”
Uthmeier also said that McKeown was designated a sexual offender and that he won’t be allowed to own any animals once his sentence is complete.
McKeown was sentenced to 135 years in the Florida Department of Corrections, according to the release.