The Brief
Former Austin ISD teacher gets 16 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to possessing child sexual abuse material in January
Court paperwork shows investigators found 365,797 images on seized devices from his home
Some of the images were found to be AI-generated from real photos of students
AUSTIN, Texas – A former Austin ISD elementary school teacher will serve 16 years in federal prison for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Court documents say he was found in possession of over 365,000 images of CSAM, including images of minors under 12.
Some of the images were found to be AI-generated from real images of students in a classroom setting. Two children were identified as students at the school where he worked.
The Latest
51-year-old Carl David Innmon pled guilty in January to one count of possession of child pornography.
Innmon will also serve 10 years of supervised release after serving his prison sentence.
He was initially indicted on one count of possession of child pornography and one count of receipt of child pornography, but only pled guilty to the former.
Innmon was a fifth-grade teacher at Baranoff Elementary in southwest Austin and had also previously worked as a substitute at approximately 20 other schools in AISD.
The investigation
The backstory
According to federal court documents, Innmon was accused of downloading multiple batches of downloads between Dec. 29, 2024, and Jan. 15, 2025.
There were 126 files that showed an image of a child engaging in sexual conduct or sexual performance.
The children in three of the downloaded files include an infant and two girls between the ages of four and seven.
Court paperwork filed by Texas DPS last March says that in May 2023, DPS investigators began an undercover operation to identify people using torrent and peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing sites to receive and share images and videos of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Investigators identified a computer that was actively sharing CSAM and found within the files being shared, there was “at least one minor child engaged in sexually explicit conduct,” says the affidavit.
From December 29, 2024, to January 15, 2025, the computer downloaded a total of 126 files containing CSAM, including images of nude children being penetrated by adults.
In late February, a subpoena revealed the computer’s IP address was registered to Innmon. Investigators then surveilled his home and learned he worked at Baranoff Elementary.
A search warrant was executed, and Innmon allegedly told investigators he had downloaded images of CSAM. Investigators seized a laptop, Innmon’s cell phone and a portable hard drive. More CSAM files were found on the hard drive, and court paperwork said investigators were still analyzing the seized devices.
Court paperwork filed later says that investigators found over 365,000 known CSAM images on Innmon’s devices.
AI-generated child sexual abuse material
Dig deeper
Federal court documents also said Innmon was in possession of AI-generated child pornography.
Investigators said Innmon’s devices “contained a large quantity of real images depicting students in a classroom. Some of those images were allegedly placed in an AI generator, de-clothing the students.”
With assistance from the Austin Independent School District and AISD Police, a Texas Department of Public Safety (TX DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID) Special Agent was able to positively identify the students depicted in the images and their ages.
The children were allegedly identified as students of Innmon’s.
Investigators also found AI-generated images of the students in “a lewd exhibition”.
What’s next
Travis County court records still list three charges for Innmon:
Possession of 50 or more images/videos of child pornography (first-degree felony)
Possession of child pornography with intent to promote (second-degree felony)
2 counts of possession/promotion of lewd visual material depicting a child (state jail felony)
Court records show he has a pre-trial hearing listed for August 10.
The Source
Information in this report comes from the US Attorney’s Office and previous reporting by FOX 7 Austin and FOX Television Stations.