Jewish educator gets 23 years prison.

A shocking case of betrayal has rocked the Jewish community in Baltimore, as a teacher at Bnos Yisroel of Baltimore has been sentenced to 23 years in federal prison for sex crimes. William “Zev” Steen, 46, pleaded guilty to the horrific charges of sexually exploiting a child and sharing child pornography online. The abuse spanned five years, with two instances recorded in 2008.

Steen’s ties to Baltimore’s Technology Awareness Group, which installs filtration software on observant Jews’ phones, raised concerns about access to personal devices within the community. Despite the offenses coming to light much earlier, they were only reported when police traced child pornography to Steen’s residence in 2022.

Steen’s impending imprisonment in Fort Dix, New Jersey, comes with a lifetime of supervised release. Prosecutors had called for a 28-year sentence citing the threat he poses to young girls. Despite some pleas for leniency, the severity of his crimes cannot be ignored.

The aftermath of this case serves as a wake-up call for vigilance and swift reporting of abuse within communities, highlighting the importance of safeguarding vulnerable individuals.