CITIZEN STAFF REPORT

COVINGTON — A former high school teacher from Morehead has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for producing child pornography, federal authorities announced Monday. U.S. District Judge David Bunning handed down the sentence to Andrew Zaheri, 40.

According to his plea agreement, Zaheri began a sexual relationship with a minor student at the high school where he taught during the summer of 2022. The relationship continued throughout the academic year, during which Zaheri engaged in sexual acts with the student during school hours and produced sexually explicit images and videos of the minor using his cellphone.

Under federal law, Zaheri must serve at least 85% of his sentence. Upon his release, he will be under the supervision of the U.S. Probation Office for an additional 22 years.

The sentencing was announced jointly by Carlton S. Shier IV, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky; Michael E. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Louisville Field Office; and Col. Phillip J. Burnett Jr., Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police.

The FBI and the Kentucky State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Roth is prosecuting the case.