A former Prince George's County school aide pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges of sexual exploitation of a minor for the purpose of producing child pornography.
Deonte Carraway, 22, has asked for a jury trial.
Carraway will remain in custody in Prince George's County. His attorneys agreed not to seek release because he's already failed to get release on local charges.
Carraway was indicted by a federal grand jury Monday. He is facing 13 federal counts of sexually exploiting children, according to court documents obtained by News4.
These counts include sexual acts with children and involve 11 victims ages 9 to 12, according to court documents. The indictment replaces last week's criminal complaint on eight counts involving six victims.
Carraway made videos of children having sex with him and each other at Judge Sylvania Woods Elementary School, a church and other locations in Maryland, according to the indictment. He met some of the victims at the school and others through his choir group.
According to victim testimony, Carraway used his authority to threaten some of the victims.
"The defendant allegedly took a child out of a classroom to a dressing room in the building and instructed the child to take off his clothes," U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said last week. "According to the allegations in the complaint, the child resisted, didn't want to do it, at which point the victim threatened him that if he didn't comply, the defendant would report him to the principal or the police."
The videos Carraway produced include footage of him having sex with a 9-year-old boy and an 11-year-old boy, according to the indictment.
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Carraway was arrested Feb. 5 after the uncle of a 9-year-old boy saw a nude image on the child's phone, according to police, who said Carraway waived his rights and admitted his role in producing child pornography.
"Federal authorities will continue to work with Prince George's County police and prosecutors to identify additional victims, provide appropriate counseling and hold the perpetrator accountable," Rosenstein said.
Attorneys for both sides declined to comment Friday. The next court date has not been set.
A relative of one of the victims was in court Friday and told News4, "This is very hard. He's done a lot of damage. He's just done a lot of damage."
Carraway also faces child sex abuse charges in state court.
Three FBI special agents are reviewing evidence in the case.
Carraway was a volunteer teacher's assistant at the school this year and the director of the Glenarden Voices of Youth Choir at the municipal center, police said. He was a paid assistant at the school during the 2014-15 school year.
A lawsuit filed in connection with the case alleges the principal knew about Carraway's misconduct and failed to act. Prince George's County Public Schools CEO Dr. Kevin Maxwell said Principal Michelle Williams has been placed on leave out of "an abundance of caution."
A second lawsuit says a 9-year-old boy told his fourth-grade teacher that a school aide was sexually abusing him on school grounds, but the teacher ignored him. "I don't believe you. Go sit down," the teacher said, according to the lawsuit.
