A teacher from the Zemgale region in Latvia has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for sexual crimes against children, following a ruling by the Rīga City Court. This sentence is a result of a plea agreement between the prosecutor from the Rīga Eastern Prosecutor's Office and the accused, confirming his acknowledgment of guilt. The verdict became effective on February 3, with the teacher also facing 7.5 years of supervised probation.

The teacher was found guilty of committing sexual offenses against at least 180 children over an eight-year period, although only 19 victims were officially recognized in the criminal proceedings due to difficulties in identifying others, some of whom reside abroad. The court has ordered compensation amounting to €186,480 to be paid to the identified victims, intended to be recovered from the convicted individual, highlighting the financial ramifications of such crimes.

The accused utilized various online chat platforms to entice victims into performing sexual acts on camera, often recording these sessions without the children's knowledge, thereby producing pornographic materials that he kept. This case emphasizes the grave issues of child exploitation and the significant legal consequences for perpetrators as authorities strive to protect vulnerable populations within the digital landscape.