More charges filed against ex-substitute teacher accused of sex crimes against children

MORGAN COUNTY, Ind. – A former Martinsville substitute teacher accused of sex crimes against children faces even more charges.

Prosecutors added a dozen additional charges to the case against Brittany Fortinberry, bringing the total number to 41. The new charges include incest and multiple counts of child molesting and conducting a performance that is harmful to minors.

The probable cause affidavit regarding the new charges includes several disturbing allegations involving two minors.

One disclosed during a forensic interview that Fortinberry had sexually abused him on multiple occasions. The other told investigators he was forced to watch some of the activities.

Fortinberry, a former substitute teacher for Martinsville schools, already faced 29 counts, including child molesting, sexual misconduct with a minor, dissemination of matter harmful to minors and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

She’s accused of sexually abusing some of her students and providing them with drugs. One accuser said Fortinberry paid hundreds of dollars to students who sent her pictures of their genitals.

The investigation into Fortinberry’s various activities began in August 2024 after a 15-year-old victim’s grandmother told police that Fortinberry molested the teen, sent nude pictures and drugged him.

That led investigators to more allegations, with victims disclosing to detectives that Fortinberry sent them sexually explicit messages on social media. Some victims told police she forced them to watch her have sex with other minors, according to court documents.

Some of the alleged incidents happened in her home, where police found a stripper pole and sex toys after executing a search warrant. Some of the victims told police Fortinberry sent them images of the items in her messages.

Fortinberry is currently being held in the Morgan County Jail. She has a pretrial conference scheduled for August.