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| Former Beauvoir teacher Eric Toth sentenced for producing child pornography | Former Beauvoir teacher Eric Toth sentenced for producing child pornography |
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| A former teacher at a prestigious private school in the District was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. | A former teacher at a prestigious private school in the District was sentenced Tuesday to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography. |
| Eric Justin Toth, 32, pleaded guilty in December to stashing cameras designed as air fresheners at a student’s home and inside a bathroom at the Beauvoir School while he was a third grade teacher there between 2005 and 2008. He also produced a pornographic video of a 10-year-old student in his classroom and at the boy’s home in Maryland while he slept. | Eric Justin Toth, 32, pleaded guilty in December to stashing cameras designed as air fresheners at a student’s home and inside a bathroom at the Beauvoir School while he was a third grade teacher there between 2005 and 2008. He also produced a pornographic video of a 10-year-old student in his classroom and at the boy’s home in Maryland while he slept. |
| During the morning hearing, Toth apologized for producing the video. | During the morning hearing, Toth apologized for producing the video. |
| “I don’t pretend that anything I could say here today would ever make up for what I did,” Toth said before the court. “Everything the prosecutor said was true...I’m a good liar.” | “I don’t pretend that anything I could say here today would ever make up for what I did,” Toth said before the court. “Everything the prosecutor said was true...I’m a good liar.” |
| Toth fled the D.C. area in 2008 after a school employee discovered pornographic images on a camera assigned to him. In the following years, Toth was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List and was featured on “America’s Most Wanted.” | Toth fled the D.C. area in 2008 after a school employee discovered pornographic images on a camera assigned to him. In the following years, Toth was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted List and was featured on “America’s Most Wanted.” |
| During that time, he was also a wily fugitive. Toth faked his own suicide, lived at a Phoenix homeless shelter, worked as a technical writer and computer technician in Austin. He was even scheduled to speak at a tech conference. | During that time, he was also a wily fugitive. Toth faked his own suicide, lived at a Phoenix homeless shelter, worked as a technical writer and computer technician in Austin. He was even scheduled to speak at a tech conference. |
| He never showed up for that event and later fled to Nicaragua, where the FBI said he was captured after a tip from a tourist who spotted him. Toth was extradited back to the United States after about five years on the lam. | He never showed up for that event and later fled to Nicaragua, where the FBI said he was captured after a tip from a tourist who spotted him. Toth was extradited back to the United States after about five years on the lam. |
| Toth pleaded guilty to three counts of producing child pornography. One of the counts stems from videos he made while he was camp counselor in Wisconsin in 2005, while the other two are from his time at Beauvoir. | Toth pleaded guilty to three counts of producing child pornography. One of the counts stems from videos he made while he was camp counselor in Wisconsin in 2005, while the other two are from his time at Beauvoir. |
| He also pleaded guilty to misusing a Social Security number and identity theft for passing himself off as real people during his years on the run. He faced up to 30 years in prison. | |
| Federal prosecutor Cassidy Pinegar had argued in court papers for Toth to be given the full sentence. | Federal prosecutor Cassidy Pinegar had argued in court papers for Toth to be given the full sentence. |
| “By taking sexually explicit photographs and videos of children in his care, the defendant satisfied his own sexual urges at the expense of children whom he should have been protecting and educating,” Pinegar wrote. | “By taking sexually explicit photographs and videos of children in his care, the defendant satisfied his own sexual urges at the expense of children whom he should have been protecting and educating,” Pinegar wrote. |
| Federal Public Defender Michelle Peterson had argued for a sentence of not more than 22 years. Peterson said in filings that Toth has no criminal record and he had suffered from depression for much of his life. She also claimed he had been sexually abused by a teacher while he was in high school. | Federal Public Defender Michelle Peterson had argued for a sentence of not more than 22 years. Peterson said in filings that Toth has no criminal record and he had suffered from depression for much of his life. She also claimed he had been sexually abused by a teacher while he was in high school. |
| “Mr. Toth now recognizes that his action did cause harm, both to the parents who entrusted him with their children and the children, who, if they learn of his actions, could suffer emotional distress,” Peterson wrote. | “Mr. Toth now recognizes that his action did cause harm, both to the parents who entrusted him with their children and the children, who, if they learn of his actions, could suffer emotional distress,” Peterson wrote. |
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