Two U.S. Teachers Face Child Exploitation Charges

Two U.S. teachers are facing serious criminal charges related to child exploitation. In New York, Kevin Burns, a Monroe County teacher, has been charged at both the federal and state levels after investigators discovered over 450 images of child pornography on his computer, including images of infants and toddlers; he faces a possible sentence of five to twenty years if convicted. In Minnesota, Jason Bassett, an art teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Blaine, was arrested and charged with interfering with the privacy of a minor after admitting to filming a video up the dress of a third-grade student 'for the thrill of it.' Bassett's actions were discovered when he accidentally sent the video to his daughters, prompting a police investigation. Authorities report no current evidence of physical sexual assault in either case, but investigations are ongoing to determine if there are additional victims. Both teachers are in custody and have been placed on administrative leave by their respective schools.