Sioux Falls Teacher Faces Child Porn Charges

SIOUX FALLS – Federal prosecutors have laid down the law on Justin Preuschl, a 27-year-old teacher at Whittier Middle School in Sioux Falls. Preuschl faces an array of federal charges after being indicted for six counts of Attempted Production of Child Pornography, three counts of Production of Child Pornography, and seven counts of Transfer of Obscene Materials to Minors.

The investigation revealed that Preuschl engaged in sexually explicit communications with multiple juvenile female victims under the guise of a 15-year-old male. He lured them into sending him explicit material and even sent inappropriate pictures himself, while employed at the school. His actions spanned from October 2023 to this year.

United States Attorney Alison J. Ramsdell announced the charges, with Preuschl appearing before Magistrate Judge Veronica L. Duffy on June 7, 2024. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. The penalties for such heinous crimes are severe, including up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a national effort to combat child exploitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is leading the prosecution, with the investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Sioux Falls Police, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, and North Liberty Iowa Police Department.

Preuschl remains in custody awaiting trial, with no date set yet. The public has been alerted to look out for contact from specific Snapchat and TikTok accounts linked to the crimes.

For more information on Project Safe Childhood, visit https://www.justice.gov/psc. If you have any information regarding this case, contact HSI Tipline at 1-877-4-HSI-TIP or HSINorthland@hsi.dhs.gov.