Fahrenkamp faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
In May of 2010, Lakota school officials contacted the West Chester Police Department after receiving a complaint from a parent that Fahrenkamp was sending text messages to a student, according to the FBI. An initial review of Fahrenkamp’s school-issued laptop computer revealed that it had been used to access pornographic websites.
The laptop contained images of young males without their shirts on. Some of the individuals were identified as former Endeavor students, officials said.
On May 26, 2010, West Chester police executed a state search warrant at a hotel room where Fahrenkamp was staying. Officers seized a camera during the execution of that warrant.
A forensic review of the school laptop revealed a video file which depicted a naked pre-pubescent male and appeared to have been downloaded in 2008. A forensic review of the camera revealed photographs of a naked pubescent male.
The photographs on the camera also appear to have been taken in 2008.
Fahrenkamp will have an initial appearance before a U.S. magistrate judge today, Jan. 3, in Cincinnati Federal Court where the magistrate will determine if Fahrenkamp will remain in custody pending further proceedings.
Lakota Local Schools spokeswoman Laura Kursman said Fahrenkamp graduated from Miami University and taught in the district for 14 years. As soon as a parent brought concerns regarding inappropriate texts to the administration, she said, Lakota officials acted immediately.
A fact-finding conference was conducted, and Fahrenkamp was placed on administrative leave May 20. He was not allowed back into the classroom, and then resigned, effective Aug. 31, 2010.
Information was shared with the Endeavor parent community regarding his removal from the classroom. Information was also shared with Shawnee and Plains Jr. School, to reach families who may have known Fahrenkamp in the past, she said.
Information gleaned from the fact-finding conference was turned over to the West Chester Police Department, and thus became a police matter, she said.
Fahrenkamp had one prior incident of inappropriate use of social media, she said. All Lakota staff has received information and in-service training on the policy and procedures from the state Department of Education.
“This type of behavior is unacceptable for any person in this profession,” stated Mike Taylor. “We can do background checks, but unfortunately we do not have a crystal ball, and cannot predict future actions.”
As a Lakota educator, Fahrenkamp hosted a science day for students and was featured in a newspaper article about the shortage of male teachers in the elementary classroom.
He was quoted in the 2008 article while he was teaching sixth-grade at the former Shawnee Elementary School.
“I think that boys at this age need that male influence outside just the home,” he said. “In some cases, they don’t get that in the home,” he said.