RECENT LAFAYETTE HIGH SCHOOL ORCHESTRA TEACHER CHARGED WITH SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF A MINOR

Case.net shows bond was set Tuesday at $250,000 for Joseph Gutowski. News reports say he set up a recording device to capture inappropriate videos of a teenage girl staying in his home, and that he admitted sending video of her to others. 

According to KMOV, Gutowski was employed by the Rockwood School District until this month.

That information was not in the email sent to parents on Tuesday. It only says Gutowski is a former teacher.

The email, from Rockwood Superintendent Curtis Cain, reads in part:

"Today, we learned from the St. Louis County Police that they have charged a former LHS teacher with multiple charges related to child pornography and sexual misconduct. At this time, there is no indication that the allegations are related to any current Rockwood students."

Cain's email also does not mention that Gutowski's alleged victim WAS a student at Lafayette at the time of the alleged exploitation. According to news reports, the 16-year old girl was a foreign exchange student who stayed with Gutowski and his family. 

Here's the full KMOV report.

DETAILS ABOUT HER STAY

It appears some of the exchange student's stay with Gutowski, his wife, and, young child, was documented in the Lafayette High student newspaper, the Lancer Feed. 

An article from April, 2020 quotes Gutowski saying the student had an incredible bond with her young host brother. It is not clear if he had yet shared the private video of her that he allegedly captured. Authorities say he admitted sending the video.

We blacked out student names and the face of a student that 
appears to be the victim, pictured with a child that may be Gutowski's son. 

Also according to the article, when Covid was forcing exchange students to go home early and miss their last two months in the states, Gutowski offered himself to those exchange students as someone to talk to.

Gutowski is quoted in the article: 
“I am very passionate about student exchange. I think it’s really important that we have exchange students come to Lafayette and that they get to enjoy and experience American culture,” Gutowski said. 

Gutowski's Facebook account is still up and includes this picture of him as a finalist for teacher of the year at Lafayette two years ago. 

The photo is dated January 11th of 2021, which, would have been months after the exchange student went home. 

Other pictures on his Facebook account show him performing in orchestra concerts.