A shocking failure of protocol has surfaced in Mississippi. The state’s Department of Child Protection Services hired a former teacher recently accused of producing child pornography. This lapse occurred just months after the man resigned from his school job.
The employee is Wilson Frederick Jones, 30. He started work at the Department of Child Protection Services (DCP) on February 18, according to court documents. His job included direct interaction with foster children.
Allegations and Resignation
Jones was a middle school teacher in Corinth. Trouble started back in November 2024. Officials at Corinth Middle School got an alert. Jones was allegedly downloading illicit material onto a school-issued device.
The images were quickly discovered. Jones was allowed to resign two days later, on November 21, 2024. That’s according to the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal.
The Mississippi Department of Education was informed of the incident on January 29. They forwarded a complaint to the Corinth Police on February 26.
AI-Generated Horror
The investigation escalated swiftly. The FBI served a subpoena on March 3 to seize Jones’ devices, WTVA reported. Authorities made a disturbing discovery. They found five AI-generated videos. These videos allegedly superimposed the faces of eight female students—ages 14 to 16—onto AI-created bodies engaged in sexual acts.
Police also found thousands of non-AI-generated child sexual abuse images during the search. Jones allegedly confessed to generating the AI images using the minors’ social media photos. He insisted nothing was actually filmed.
Parents of the alleged victims were notified. Jones was arrested on March 12. Corinth Police Chief Landon Tucker announced the federal charges. They include production and possession of a morphed image of child pornography.
Hiring Questions
The most critical question remains unanswered. Jones was hired by DCP just weeks before his arrest. Court documents reviewed by Law & Crime confirm the start date.
Action 5 News reports that Jones asked the DCP not to contact his former employers at the school district. It is not clear if the agency honored that request. It is also unknown if Jones is currently still employed by the DCP.
Superintendent Charged
The scandal didn’t end with Jones. Corinth School District Superintendent Edward Lee Childress was also taken into custody. He was arrested on May 23. Childress faces a felony charge of hindering prosecution in the first degree.
District Attorney Jason D. Herring stated Childress knew about Jones’ alleged actions in November 2024. He reportedly failed to report them quickly enough.
The Corinth School Board fired Childress on March 17. Their press release stated trustees “unanimously voted to terminate” his contract.
Jones also faces three new felony counts of depicting a child engaging in sexual conduct, according to Herring. Childress’ attorney, Scott Gilbert, is now pushing to sever the cases. He wants the two co-defendants tried separately.
Both men are currently set for trial on November 17.