Augustus Gus Shenker, Child Pornography, Arkansas 2021

Teacher's Assistant Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Charges

LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS - Augustus 'Gus' Shenker, a 22-year-old teacher's assistant from Little Rock, pleaded guilty to three counts of production of child pornography on Tuesday. Shenker was initially charged in a criminal complaint in May 2021 and indicted in June 2021.

According to the investigation, the FBI received a cyber tip in May 2021 that revealed Shenker possessed seven videos containing child pornography using a Dropbox account with his name. Shenker's address was determined, and he was found to be employed at Miss Selma's School, an early education school with children from 18 months old to fifth grade.

Shenker was interviewed by FBI agents, and he admitted to having a problem with child pornography several years ago but claimed he no longer viewed it. However, a review of items seized from his residence revealed six videos created in March 2021 that showed Shenker touching the buttocks and vagina of a preschool-age child in a classroom at Miss Selma's School. His iPhone contained a hidden folder with 19 additional videos, all taken in the same preschool classroom where Shenker worked.

Shenker's face is visible in several of the videos, and investigators located more than a thousand images of child sexual abuse on his phone and other devices. Shenker was first charged in a criminal complaint on May 18, 2021, and a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging him with 22 counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Shenker pleaded guilty to three of the production counts and will be sentenced by Judge Lee P. Rudofsky at a later date. The investigation is being conducted by the FBI Little Rock Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.

United States Attorney Jonathan Ross stated, 'This defendant violated the trust parents placed in him each day by placing their children in his care. Using his position to exploit preschoolers is an unthinkable abuse, especially in their own school—the very place we expect children to be protected.'

FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge James A. Dawson added, 'Today's conviction of Mr. Shenker demonstrates the unwavering dedication and adamant determination of the investigators who serve on our Violent Crime squad.'

Shenker's case serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting children and holding perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edar/pr/teachers-assistant-pleads-guilty-production-child-pornography