WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ga. — A former Sandersville high school teacher pleaded guilty to producing and distributing child sexual abuse material in federal court on Tuesday, according to a press release from the US Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia.
33-year-old Michael Dendy pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography and one count of distribution of child pornography. Dendy used Instagram to catfish his students and other students into sending pornographic photos.
Crystal Lewis, a Washington County mom says she's in disbelief that anyone could commit a crime like this one.
“I'm a communicator," Lewis said. "I want to know who you're talking to. I check phones and make sure I'm involved in my kids' social media life."
For moms like her, being aware of what your kids are doing is important.
“Be more in tune with face to face be more in tune with what's going on and I feel like that definitely makes you more aware,” Lewis said
Dendy was arrested in January 2023 after the Washington County Sheriff's Office received more than a dozen complaints about child pornography.
Darrell Usry, the Patrol Commander at the Washington Sheriff's Office talked about how parents can keep kids safe.
"I use apps to monitor (my kids)," Usry said. "It monitors online activity - what they do, how long they're on there. It sends you reports to tell you what they've looked at (and) who they're talking to."
Usry says with school starting up, parents should be extra responsible.
"You just have to get to know who your kids are interacting with," Usry said. "Keep a check on who your kids are interacting, with check their phones, check their social media. If they have Facebook, If they have Twitter, follow them so you can see what's being posted."
Dendy faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years in prison with up to a maximum sentence of 30 years for production of child pornography.
He's scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 7th in U.S. Middle District Court in Macon.