The former Sageville Elementary School principal who faces child pornography charges intends to plead guilty Monday in U.S district court.
Robert Burke, who had previously pleaded not guilty to all charges leveled against him, filed on Friday an intent to plead guilty to recording sexual videos of minors under the age of 18 – one of seven charges he faces.
The six related counts, which included possessing, receiving and distributing the pornography would be dropped under a plea agreement.
Investigators say Burke, 43, put a hidden camera in the boy's bathroom at the school, and that he used its recordings to produce child pornography, which he distributed on the Internet.
The federal indictment alleges that Burke captured video of boys, including some younger than 12 years old, using the bathroom sometime between January and June 3. The videos exposed the student's genitals. Investigators say Burke put that video on his computer and used it to make child pornography.
Burke was arrested June 3 after law enforcement agents raided his home in Dubuque and found images showing minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. An FBI agent identified Burke as a suspect after downloading images of child pornography that were later traced to Burke's home.
Burke then told investigators that he installed a hidden camera in the boys' restroom at Sageville Elementary School, where he had been principal since 2004, to produce "video images of students who were using the bathroom," according to a complaint.
The complaint states that Burke said he never touched any children in a sexual manner.
Burke faces between 15 and 30 years in prison without parole, a maximum fine of $250,000 and at least 5 years of supervision after his release from prison if he is convicted.
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