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HAMMOND, Ind. — A former northern Indiana high school teacher is charged in federal court with receiving child pornography.

Court papers say Brian Kunze, 31, a former teacher at Wheeler High School in Valparaiso, used his position to coax a student into sending him explicit photos of herself.

Examination of digital devices from Kunze’s house revealed other explicit images of underage girls who attended the school, according to federal prosecutors.

“Use of a position of authority to betray the trust placed in a teacher by his student is a very serious offense for which my office will hold all perpetrators accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Kirsch. “Individuals who seek out sexually explicit images of minor children will be investigated and prosecuted by my office.”

The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Porter County Sheriff’s Department, and the Michigan City Police Department.