A former taekwondo teacher who taught in Aurora and Douglas County has been sentenced to 50 years in jail after pleading responsible to 3 counts of the sexual exploitation of a kid.
Erik Chen, 32, was charged in July 2022 after kids reported him for recording them in restrooms and altering rooms and police discovered CDs and DVDs with “a whole lot of hundreds of photographs of kid pornography depicting women believed to be between the ages of 8 and 12,” based on a information launch from the 18th Judicial District.
Chen ran summer time camps at Han Lee’s Taekwondo Academy in Aurora and Lone Tree, and victims reported him recording them at recreation facilities in Citadel Rock and Lone Tree.
Chen pleaded responsible in March to the three expenses.
“This defendant preyed on harmless, younger kids who trusted him as a camp chief,” Zoe Laird, senior deputy district legal professional, stated within the new launch. “I hope this sentence offers some sense of closure for his victims and at a minimal it ensures the defendant received’t be capable to victimize and exploit different kids in our group whereas he serves his sentence in jail.”
In February 2021, Aurora law enforcement officials had been known as to Han Lee’s in Aurora, the place a father advised investigators his daughters discovered Chen’s cellphone recording them whereas they had been altering garments within the Lone Tree Recreation Heart.
The victims deleted the movies, based on the discharge, and there was not sufficient possible trigger or proof to arrest Chen on the time.
Later that yr in June, Citadel Rock police had been known as to the Citadel Rock Recreation Heart after a therapist reported considered one of her purchasers found Chen recording them within the recreation heart restroom in 2020.
Detectives realized Chen left his backpack in a altering room or restroom a number of instances with the cellphone recording in a facet pocket.
Along with the kid pornography discovered on the DVDs and CDs, investigators additionally discovered greater than half a dozen movies Chen took in native loos and locker rooms the place younger women, and one boy, are seen altering garments.
Chen can also be seen on a number of the movies establishing the cellphone to report.
“I’m happy with these victims for having the braveness to talk up and inform a trusted grownup about what occurred,” District Legal professional John Kellner stated. “By coming ahead, these younger women doubtless saved many others from being victimized by this defendant. Our households ought to really feel safer realizing he’ll not be round our youngsters for a really very long time.”
As soon as launched from jail, Chen shall be required to register as a intercourse offender.
