Boston Teacher David Ettlinger Resigns In Wake Of Child Porn Charges

February 2, 2012



The once-popular Newton teacher now facing local and federal child pornography charges has resigned his post before the school district could begin the process to fire him.

David Ettlinger, 34, of Brighton submitted his letter of resignation to the district a day before a scheduled termination hearing, said school Superintendent David Fleishman.

Ettlinger, who taught second grade at Underwood Elementary School for 11 years, had been on paid leave since his January arrest.

Suffolk prosecutors say he had hundreds of images of child pornography on his home computer, and dozens of little girls’ underpants in his condo. In a separate case, prosecutors say he posed his friend’s sleeping daughter in a sexually explicit way, then filmed her.

Ettlinger has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

Fleishman said Ettlinger submitted his resignation from jail, but it was not clear last night if he has posted bail in either Suffolk case.

His attorney Greg L. Johnson did not respond to requests for comment.

In addition to the local charges, Ettlinger has been accused by the federal government of participating in Dreamboard, a now-defunct website whose members produced and distributed child pornography.

Prosecutors have said there’s no indication that Ettlinger photographed or filmed any of his students.

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February 8, 2012



The once-beloved Newton teacher hauled into court last month on local and federal child porn charges is facing a slew of new counts after prosecutors say he sexually assaulted an underage girl whose parents hired him to watch her.

Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone called David Ettlinger a “serial predator of children,” in announcing indictments on multiple charges against the 34-year-old Brighton man, including five counts of aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child under the age of 14.

Ettlinger, appearing in a different court for the third time in less than a month, hid from view while pleading not guilty to the new charges. He was ordered held on $50,000 cash bail, adding to the $110,000 in bail he’s being held on following appearances in West Roxbury and Brighton District courts last month. Clerk Magistrate Michael Sullivan also ordered Ettlinger to stay away from the victim, her family, and any child under the age of 16.

The victim, a Middlesex County resident called “Jane” in court documents, was not a student of Ettlinger’s and is a different victim from a friend’s daughter prosecutors said Ettlinger posed in a sexually explicit way before filming her, authorities said. Ettlinger earlier this month resigned from his position as a second-grade teacher at Underwood Elementary School, where he taught for 11 years before his January arrest.

Suffolk prosecutors say police found hundreds of images of child pornography on Ettlinger’s home computer and dozens of little girls’ underpants in his condo during a Jan. 17 raid. During that search, authorities also found pictures and movies of Ettlinger indecently assaulting a partially nude “Jane,” authorities said. The girl’s parents had hired Ettlinger to babysit her at her home, Leone said.

Ettlinger was also indicted on charges of posing a child in a state of nudity, posing a child in sexual conduct, possession of child pornography and secretly recording a partially nude person, Leone said.

“This, combined with the allegations made against this defendant by the federal government and the Suffolk County DA’s Office, make clear that this defendant is an alleged serial predator of children and will be prosecuted as such,” Leone said in a statement.

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Unreal!!! I now understand why a lot of parent's homeschool their kids!!

January 8, 2013

Former Newton elementary school teacher David Ettlinger, dubbed a “serial predator” by local authorities, was sentenced to 45 years in jail today for his part in an online child porn operation called "Dreamboard," federal officials announced this evening.

Ettlinger, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in a child exploitation enterprise this summer. He had faced life in prison for his crimes. A federal judge in Louisiana sentenced him and added once he's released he must undergo lifetime "supervised release."

Ettlinger was among dozens of people arrested in January as part of a federal probe into the now-defunct child pornography file-sharing site. Bay State prosecutors say Ettlinger will still face state charges here.

"David Ettlinger will spend 45 years in prison for his role in a horrific international conspiracy to sexually exploit young children,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer in Lousiana.

“Ettlinger participated in a criminal online community that encouraged members to regularly produce content depicting extreme sexual abuse of children," Breuer added. "The members of Dreamboard attempted to evade law enforcement by disguising their locations, but today’s sentencing is a strong reminder that the department is dedicated to working with its law enforcement partners to track down child predators who seek to take advantage of our most vulnerable citizens."

Suffolk prosecutors are also pursuing allegations that Ettlinger recorded himself fondling and undressing two young girls. He also faces five counts of sexually assaulting an underage girl in Middlesex County.

Prosecutors said they also found a stash of creepy but legal pictures snapped of school kids at “inappropriate” angles on Ettlinger's computer.

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Apr 11, 2013

Massachusetts prosecutors say they won't go forward with state child sexual abuse charges against a former Boston-area teacher serving a 45-year federal sentence for participating in an international child pornography ring.

The Middlesex and Suffolk district attorneys announced Thursday they are dropping prosecution of David Ettlinger of Newton since he will be spending years in prison followed by lifetime supervision. The prosecutors said families of his three alleged victims didn't want their children to face a trial.

Ettlinger's defense attorney said he and his client feel prosecutors did the right thing.

Ettlinger had pleaded not guilty to state charges alleging he used the children to produce pornography. Authorities said none were his students at the Newton school where he taught for 12 years.

Ettlinger pleaded guilty to the federal charge last August and was sentenced in January.

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