Former Pinellas Teacher Sentenced To 5 Years In Child Porn Case

TAMPA - A former Pinellas County elementary school technology teacher who pleaded guilty to distributing, receiving and possessing child pornography was sentenced this afternoon to five years in federal prison, according to his attorney.

Kenneth Fire, 50, of St. Petersburg, could have received as many as 20 years in prison. Sentencing guidelines called for a sentence of 14 years in prison, but he was given the minimum mandatory sentence after a three-hour hearing, said defense lawyer Jeffrey Brown.

According to court documents, Fire told agents he had been employed with the Pinellas County school district for 25 years. At the time of his arrest, he was teaching at Maximo Elementary School. Schools spokeswoman Andrea Zahn said Fire was placed on administrative leave in October 2005 -- when the charges were first brought -- and he resigned the next month. He was hired in August 1981, she said.

Brown said Fire immediately surrendered his teaching certificate after he was arrested 21/2 years ago. The lawyer said Fire has been in therapy being treated for sexual dysfunction since his arrest. Fire has not been diagnosed as a pedophile, the lawyer said.

Brown said Fire had issues with his father and never developed a strong relationship. Because of that, he tried to relive his adolescence, visiting an online fantasy world in which he and other adults pretended to be 14 or 15 years old. Participants in that online world, Brown said, showed each other pictures of who they pretended to be.

Brown said Fire exhibited "super acceptance of responsibility." He said Fire immediately gave law enforcement all his CDs. After investigators left his house, he remembered some videos and summoned them back to turn the videos over, Brown said.

The case developed in Germany, where two German citizens were being investigated on child porn charges, according to court documents. Fire was trading pornography with the Germans over the Internet, authorities say.