INDIANAPOLIS — Former Avon Middle School North theater teacher Kayvon Emtiaz is in the Marion County jail on charges of vicarious sexual gratification, two counts of child solicitation and 10 counts of possession of child pornography.
The investigation into the 28-year-old man began with a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
The tip included a video that appeared to show a teacher touching himself inside of a musical classroom. It also included an explicit photo taken by the same user in the same classroom.
The tip also included photos and videos exchanged between a man and a girl, including graphic videos.
Police discovered another Snapchat account, tied to the same phone and IP address. That account also engaged in exchanges of sexual messages, photos and videos. The girl in that exchange identified herself as just 13 years old.
Police were able to track down where the Emtiaz lived in Brownsburg. He shared the apartment with his wife.
Police confiscated Emtiaz's phone on Nov. 21. Police say he agreed to an interview at that time.
According to investigators, Emtiaz admitted to all of the allegations during the interview. He allegedly admitted to being the male in the photos and videos, and that he believed the girls were underaged.
Emtiaz is being held at the Marion County Adult Detention Center. His initial hearing is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 25.
Worked with many children
Emtiaz no longer works for Avon schools and does not have an active teaching license. He was also previously listed as an instructor at the Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre in Carmel. Court documents indicate he was working at the Civic Theatre as late as November 2024.
Emtiaz has since been removed from the Civic Theatre's website. But in his previous bio, it said he was "very active in the Indianapolis arts community, teaching private lessons/group classes, accompanying area high schools, and directing theatre productions."
Avon Schools sent 13News a statement in regard to the allegations:
"We were notified by Avon Police that an individual who was employed as a teacher from November 2019 to December 2022 and who then continued as an extra-curricular activity coach in our choir and theatre program was arrested on two felony charges. We are unaware of any allegations connecting these charges and Avon students. We immediately terminated his extra-curricular activity involvement and revoked his access to our facilities. We cannot comment on any pending status given the open law enforcement investigation."
Avon schools provided the schools where Emtiaz worked and when he worked at them:
- White Oak Elementary (November 2019 through May 2021)
- Avon Intermediate School West (July 2021 through March 2022)
- Avon Middle School North (March 2022 thru December 2022)
A representative for the Civic theater sent the following statement to 13News:
"Civic Theatre has become aware that Kayvon Emtiaz, who has worked at Civic as a music director and vocal and piano instructor, has been charged by the Marion County Prosecutor's Office and is being investigated for child exploitation. To the best of our knowledge, there are no allegations related to any Civic students. We take these allegations seriously and are committed to keeping our students safe in all phases of instruction. In light of these allegations, we have severed all ties with Mr. Emtiaz. We have told families to contact their local child protective services office immediately if they have any information to report."
Child abuse and neglect resources
If you think a child is being abused or neglected, call the DCS Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 1-800-800-5556.
If you can, provide DCS with the following information:
Who was involved
What occurred
When and where it occurred
The extent of any injuries sustained
Any other relevant information
Even if you don't know all that information, DCS urges you to call and report if you suspect a child is a victim of abuse or neglect. State law requires DCS to protect the identity of those reporting abuse or neglect allegations, so you can remain anonymous.
There is more information available at the Indiana Department of Child Services website.
If you would like to help victims of child abuse and neglect, Kids' Voice of Indiana has a Court-Appointed Special Advocate program. This lets volunteers advocate for child victims who don't have another trusted adult to stand up for them. You can learn more about the CASA program here. Kids' Voice estimates more than 3,100 kids in Marion County need help from a CASA volunteer.