Brittany Fortinberry, a 31-year-old mother of four and former high school teacher from Indiana, is facing 41 felony charges for allegedly grooming and sexually abusing multiple underage boys. The charges stem from an ongoing criminal investigation in Morgan County, where Fortinberry previously taught at Eminence High School and worked briefly as a substitute teacher at Martinsville Schools.
According to court records, Fortinberry targeted boys between the ages of 13 and 15 in 2024, using gifts, money, drugs, and threats to manipulate them into sexual acts. Prosecutors allege she arranged group sex at her home, forcing the boys to wear masks modeled after the killer in the *Scream* horror movie during the abuse.
Her home, which she shared with her husband and children, reportedly contained a stripper pole and various sex toys — items police discovered during their investigation.
One boy said Fortinberry made him and two other boys take hallucinogenic drugs, hidden in peanut butter sandwiches, before demanding they have sex with her.
Another accuser said she raped him while her young son was asleep at the foot of the bed. The allegations first surfaced in August 2024, when the grandmother of a 15-year-old boy contacted police, reporting that Fortinberry had molested her grandson, sent him nude photos, and drugged him.
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The boy later told police he considered the acts to be child molestation, comparing it to a grown man preying on a teenage girl. He said he came forward because he did not want Fortinberry to continue abusing other children. That report triggered a deeper investigation, which uncovered claims from multiple alleged victims — many of whom Fortinberry had met while working in local schools. Court documents detail how Fortinberry allegedly gave boys vapes, marijuana, THC cartridges, and psychedelic mushrooms.
In some cases, she would take the boys shopping, spend hundreds of dollars on them, and then invite them to her home, where the abuse occurred after she put her own children to bed. Victims described how Fortinberry would pressure them into sex, often telling them to “just let it happen.” Some said she threatened suicide if they resisted or threatened to expose her.
Several boys reported receiving sexually explicit messages, photos, and videos through Snapchat and other platforms. One mother told police she discovered disturbing messages on her son’s phone, and when she confronted him, he broke down and revealed the abuse he had suffered.
Fortinberry’s husband, Nicholas, filed for divorce on February 25, shortly after her arrest. In court filings, he stated he could no longer afford their $440,000 home in Martinsville, which authorities say was the site of several alleged assaults.
The couple had been using veteran benefits to pay the mortgage, but those payments stopped following her arrest. On June 3, a judge granted their request to sell the home. Brittany Fortinberry appeared at the hearing via Zoom from jail. Nicholas Fortinberry is also facing criminal charges.
Police allege that he was aware of his wife’s actions and attempted to silence at least one of the victims. He has been charged with intimidation and failure to report a crime. According to investigators, one parent told officers that Nicholas threatened to “slaughter” her son if he spoke out about the abuse. Nicholas, a military veteran, now works as a diesel mechanic and shop foreman, according to his public employment profile.
Fortinberry was initially charged with 29 felonies, but prosecutors added 12 more in April, bringing the total to 41. These include multiple counts of Level 1 child molestation, sexual misconduct with a minor, dissemination of harmful material to minors, incest, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, and performing acts harmful to minors.
Prosecutors say she faces between 20 and 40 years in prison for each Level 1 child molestation count. If the judge orders the sentences to run consecutively, Fortinberry could spend the rest of her life in prison.
The former teacher has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Her trial is scheduled to begin on June 25 in Morgan Superior Court. She remains in jail without bond. Fortinberry was suspended from her role at Eminence High School the day after the allegations were reported and submitted her resignation shortly thereafter.
In a statement, Eminence Community Schools said the safety and welfare of its students is the district’s top priority and that it continues to fully cooperate with law enforcement and prosecutors. As the trial date approaches, authorities believe more victims may still come forward.
Investigators say Fortinberry’s pattern of behavior suggests she may have abused additional children over a period of time.
This article is based entirely on information reported by the multiple reputable news sources as cited. No opinions, interpretations, or unverified claims have been added. Our writers carefully researched these sources to deliver an accurate and factual report.
