Trial for former STM teacher on child porn charges starts today
LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- The trial of former teacher Jacob De La Paz on child pornography charges starts today.
De La Paz is charged with attempted production of child pornography and attempted receipt of child pornography in connection with an incident on or about Jan. 12, 2023. He is accused of trying to entice a minor to produce child pornography.
As reported by KLFY, he left the school abruptly on April 27, 2023 and was arrested by agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security the next day.
According to court documents, jury selection will take place today with testimony and evidence to be presented starting tomorrow. The trial is expected to last two days, with District Judge David C. Joseph presiding.
De La Paz was teaching at St. Thomas More High School at the time of his arrest. He was previously employed at a school in Arkansas, where he was found to have “engaged in inappropriate communication with a student via text messaging” in 2017, and at North Vermilion High School.