A former preschool assistant teacher in Texas, Mark Penfield Eichorn, has recently admitted to paying two young boys, ages 12 and 13, $200 to film a sexually explicit video for him. The investigation into Eichorn began when the parents of a 13-year-old boy in Georgia noticed an unusual increase in their son’s bank account balance. This led to the discovery of the disturbing exchange between Eichorn and the two boys on Snapchat, where he sent them money through Venmo in exchange for the explicit video.
Eichorn pleaded guilty to charges of producing child pornography and now faces a possible maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release. Furthermore, he is also facing additional federal charges related to indecency with a child. It was revealed that Eichorn had inappropriate images of children on his electronic devices, some appearing to be under the age of 10. He also confessed to inappropriately touching a child, according to court documents.
At the time of the incident, Eichorn was working as an assistant teacher at St. John’s Episcopal School in Abilene. Shockingly, the school’s principal and another teacher were also arrested for allegedly ignoring a complaint about Eichorn’s inappropriate behavior towards a student in January. The child’s mother reported the abuse to teacher Kelsey Alexander, who then informed head of school Rebeca McMillon. However, neither of them reported the incident to the authorities as required by Texas law.
McMillon allegedly dismissed the complaint after talking to Eichorn, claiming that he was merely helping the child with their belt in the bathroom. It was only after Eichorn’s arrest in May that he was finally fired from his position. Subsequently, Alexander and McMillon were arrested in July and charged with failure to report child abuse. They were released on bond after posting a total of $8,000.
This disturbing case sheds light on the importance of vigilance and immediate action when it comes to protecting children from predators. It also highlights the critical role that parents and authorities play in ensuring the safety and well-being of young individuals. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the need for thorough background checks and stringent protocols in educational institutions to prevent such heinous acts from occurring in the future.
