KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A former Kansas City-area elementary school teacher faces four additional charges of production and attempted production of child pornography.
Last month, federal prosecutors charged Dennis Hernanez, 28, with three counts of sex crimes involving children, including allegations he produced videos involving minors in school settings.
Hernandez served as a substitute teacher and in other roles throughout the early 2020s in the North Kansas City School District.
Hernandez had taken a new job as a first-grade teacher at the beginning of the 2025 school year with the Independence School District, although he had only been at that job for two days before his arrest.
In the days following his arrest, the FBI established a website to seek tips in the case in the belief that additional victims may have been possible.
In Wednesday’s incident, Hernandez is alleged to have committed additional crimes involving a minor on or about the dates of Feb. 5, 2024, Feb. 29, 2024, July 25, 2025, and Aug. 20, 2025.
Hernandez was arrested by federal agents on Aug. 21, 2025.
According to the NKC School District website related to Hernandez’s investigation, Hernandez was serving as a first-grade substitute teacher at Fox Hill Elementary School on Feb. 5, 2024. Records show Hernandez was a substitute teacher at Fox Hill on Feb. 28, 2024. Hernandez worked as a summer assistant in the Adventure Club program at Chapel Hill and Meadowbrook Elementary schools in the summer of 2025.
Hernandez remains in federal custody.
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