Police Say School Administrator Posed As Teen Girl To Get Sexually Explicit Photos, Make Child Porn
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – Parents are in shock after a rabbi and school administrator at a prestigious Jewish day school was taken into federal custody on child pornography charges.
Administrators and guidance counselors are having serious discussions with students and parents at Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy, also known as SAR Academy. It's a modern Orthodox Jewish day school in the Bronx.
Rabbi Jonathan Skolnick, who since last year served as middle school principal of Judaic studies, was arrested Friday by the FBI for charges related to soliciting child pornography. He's since been fired, CBS2's Lisa Rozner reports.
A criminal complaint from the U.S. Attorney's office alleges Skolnick posed online as different teenage girls using names like "Tina Warner" and "Anna Freed" to coerce a 14-year-old boy to send him sexually explicit photos.
READ: Criminal Complaint Against Jonathan Skolnick (PDF)
Asher Lovy is the director of community organizing for Za'akah, an organization that advocates for survivors of child sexual abuse in the Orthodox Jewish community.
"He even had materials of his own to match these personas he created -- photos of these girls that he created to send to the victim, which means he was in possession of other child pornography," Lovy said.
The criminal complaint says the communication with the 14-year-old spanned from March to this month. It alleges Skolnick told FBI agents he requested sexually explicit photos from approximately 20-25 victims, mostly minors.
SAR sent a letter to parents that reads in part, "We have reason to be concerned that SAR students may have been victims or potential victims and we are asking you to share any information you have with law enforcement."
Prior to working at SAR, Skolnick was employed at Yeshiva of Flatbush High School for six years. Officials there say they are not aware of any inappropriate behavior but are encouraging students to contact the FBI if they know anything.
Dr. Michael Salamon is a clinical psychologist that counsels survivors of child sexual abuse.
"The most important thing is how we intervene at this point," Salamon said. "We know most of time children who are molested do not tell an adult."
Both Salamon and Lovy commend the school for immediately firing Skolnick and opening the dialogue with parents and students.
Earlier this year, Skolnick gave a speech on role models in the educational setting. Skolnick is now in jail. He's due before a federal judge Wednesday.