Federal charges say 1st grade teacher filmed child porn in a KC-area school
An elementary school teacher who taught in multiple Kansas City-area school districts in recent years was charged Thursday with three federal offenses related to child sexual abuse materials, after allegedly filming young children’s genitals while they were in his care in school settings.
Dennis Adlai Hernandez, 28, is charged with transportation of child pornography, production and attempted production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Charging documents state that Hernandez was a first grade teacher at Fairmount Elementary School in the Independence School District at the time of his arrest and that federal investigators have been in contact with a school resource officer there.
The charging documents say that Hernandez previously taught in the North Kansas City school district, which a district spokesperson confirmed Thursday.
Hernandez, who lives in Independence, was arrested at home after his internet activity was reported to the FBI this week, according to charging documents. His first appearance before a federal magistrate judge will take place Thursday.
According to charging documents filed in federal court, the FBI received 19 CyberTipline reports about Hernandez’s internet activity from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children on Tuesday, August 19. Investigators found about one thousand images of child sexual abuse material on Hernandez’s cell phone, charging documents read, including some which were taken as still images from internet videos and some of which he allegedly filmed.
The Independence elementary school teacher caught the attention of the national child protection organization the previous day through a disclosure from Google indicating that photographs containing child sexual abuse material were uploaded to a Google Photo account affiliated with Hernandez. The nonprofit regularly works with law enforcement nationally on cases related to child exploitation.
During an interview with an FBI investigator, Hernandez allegedly said that he recorded children, primarily boys, who were in his care at multiple elementary schools and elementary school sites over the past several years.
Charging documents indicate that among other things, Hernandez allegedly filmed both clothed and partially nude videos of young boys in multiple educational settings, including a school bathroom, locker room and bus. At least one of the videos was produced in Gladstone, Missouri, and at least 18 children were featured in child sexual abuse material Hernandez produced himself, according to charging documents.
Hernandez denied making physical contact with any of the children he allegedly coerced into the production of child pornography, according to charging documents.
In a statement provided to The Star Thursday afternoon, Independence School District spokesperson Megan Dillard wrote that Hernandez had worked for the district for two days at the time of his arrest, and that families of students at the building where he taught were notified Wednesday, the same day the district placed Hernandez on administrative leave.
“The Independence School District is deeply disturbed by the charges filed today by the Office of the U.S. Attorney,” Dillard wrote. “Crimes of this nature are abhorrent and stand in direct opposition to everything we value as a district.”
In a previous statement provided to The Star Wednesday, Dillard previously said that the district does not have any evidence “linking any ISD students to the allegations.”
Hernandez was previously employed by the North Kansas City School District, according to charging documents. Chris Oberholtz, an NKCSD spokesperson, confirmed with The Star that Hernandez previously worked in three district elementary schools — Crestview, Fox Hill and Nashua — along with the district’s Early Education Center and summer child care programs at three NKC schools.
“This individual is no longer an employee of the district, and we take all reports of wrongdoing very seriously to ensure our schools remain a safe and nurturing environment for all,” Oberholtz wrote.
NKCSD sent a letter to district families Wednesday, and Oberholtz said that district staff plan to follow up directly with staff and families at the schools where Hernandez worked.
“In the strongest possible terms, we condemn these alleged actions and will take all possible steps to ensure accountability,” the letter read.
Anyone who believes themselves or their children may have been a victim of Hernandez is asked to call 1-800-FBI.
Hernandez is the third Independence School District employee this calendar year to have been charged with crimes related to child sexual abuse.
In March, Austin Meyer, then a drama teacher at Truman High School was arrested and charged with 11 counts of possessing child pornography after more than 11 gigabytes of child sexual abuse material were found on his work computer.
In May, ISD bus driver Christopher Omenski was charged with six felonies, including statutory rape, statutory sodomy and possession of child pornography.
This story was originally published August 21, 2025 at 5:22 PM.
