William Zev Steen, a former STEM teacher at a private Jewish school in Baltimore City, was sentenced to 23 years in prison on charges of child pornography and sexual exploitation.
Steen was originally charged at the state level, but federal prosecutors have since stepped in.
According to the prosecution's sentencing memo, some prominent Baltimore Jewish community members support Steen.
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"It is of course unclear from these statements whether all of these individuals are aware of the full scope of the defendant's criminal conduct here," said the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The memo reveals Steen and his wife alerted Rabbi Shraga Neuberger, a rabbi at Ner Israel Rabbinical College in Baltimore, about the conduct in 2013, at which time he referred the couple to a counselor.
That counselor, Yehuda Bergman, is a registered drama arts therapist but is not licensed or trained in dealing with sexual abuse or trauma.
Neither Bergman nor Neuberger reported the abuse to police, "explaining the consequences would be too difficult for [redacted victim]."
The victim saw a different counselor, Laura Greer, for a couple of years but didn't disclose the nature and extent of the trauma they endured.
Rabbi Mordecai Shuchatowitz, the rabbi of Agudath of Greenspring synagogue and the 'Av Bais Din' or head of the Baltimore Rabbinical Court, requested the judge show leniency to Steen.
"Shuchatowitz.. suggests Steen's 'addiction' (referring to his interest in child pornography), is 'because of something unhappy in [his] life.' Shuchatowitz argues Steen didn't produce, collect, and distribute child pornography because he wanted to see 'inappropriate material.' Instead, he claims Steen did so because something was 'gnawing' at or 'bothering' him," the prosecution's sentencing memo reads.
Shuchatowitz calls Steen a "very good person," and hopes he gets the chance to be with his family and community again.
ZA'AKAH, an organization fiscally supported by SNAP (the Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests) that advocates for survivors of child sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community, is requesting the judge unseal the letters in support of Steen.
The judge ruled Monday that the defense's redactions of the letters in support of Steen were too broad, and said that likely community leaders' names could be unredacted at a later date.
Steen's defense team requested the judge sentence him to the mandatory minimum of 15 years, arguing that his family, many of whom came to court to support him, still need. him.
His family, including his mother, wife, brother, and one of his children, all spoke to the judge in support of the mandatory minimum sentence.
His lawyers argued that he is not a danger to the community.
The judge disagreed.
"This is a very sad case," Judge Stephanie Gallagher said, adding that "this is not a single victim case."
The sentence of 23 years was also less than the 28 that the prosecution requested.
Steen had many family members supporting him in the courtroom.
However, a Google doc petition created by a member of the Jewish community calling for the resignation of leaders who appeared to have covered up the abuse, is making its rounds within the community.
As of Monday afternoon, the petition has 193 signatures from the Baltimore Jewish community calling for the resignations of Rabbi Neuberger, Yehuda Bergman, Rabbi Schuatowitz, and Laura Greer.