Former Central Bucks West High School Choir Director Charged With Molesting 2 More Students
DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- More charges have been filed against a former Bucks County high school choir director who's now accused of molesting two more students. Police fear there could be more victims.
Parents Eyewitness News spoke to at Central Bucks High School West say they are very disturbed by the allegations against the former choir director. Last month, he was charged with multiple crimes. Now he's facing new charges that are even more serious.
Former Central Bucks High School West Choir Director Joseph Ohrt is now charged with two counts of indecent assault and two counts of corruption of a minor.
Former Central Bucks High School West choir director Joseph Ohrt was arraigned today on new charges: 2 counts of indecent assault and 2 counts of corruption of a minor. Last month, he was charged with wire tap violations, tampering with evidence and invasion of privacy. pic.twitter.com/FUXDMybpLe
— Madeleine Wright (@MWrightReports) March 8, 2022
He was arraigned on the new charges Tuesday morning.
"The defendant perpetrated these crimes on each of his two additional victims about five years apart in the 1990s," Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub said. "So his crimes now span decades."
Prosecutors say the first victim was 11 years old when Ohrt touched the boy's private parts at Linden Elementary School.
The second victim was 13 years old.
"This victim reported to police that the defendant put his hand down the victim's pants and touched an intimate area of his body while at the defendant's residence in Doylestown Township in Bucks County," Weintraub said.
The victims, now adults, gathered the courage to come forward after prosecutors filed their first round of charges against Ohrt last month.
Those charges included wiretap violations, invasion of privacy and tampering with evidence for allegedly secretly recording a former student undressing at his home and then asking another person to get rid of the evidence.
"I am very distressed about the whole thing," Patricia Blumberg, a grandparent of a student, said. "He was a good choir director. We won a lot of awards, but who was he really?"
UPDATE: The superintendent of the Central Bucks School District is releasing this letter to parents in response to the molestation allegations against former choir director Joseph Ohrt. pic.twitter.com/hA19OVrFQO
— Madeleine Wright (@MWrightReports) March 8, 2022
Parents say they're disappointed.
"It's disgusting," Francesca Miller said. "Anyone who touches a child in an inappropriate way is totally disgusting."
The superintendent wrote a letter to parents and students saying this incident is "disturbing and incredibly saddening, not only for the individuals and families involved, but for the entire Central Bucks community."
The district attorney fears that because the suspect taught at five elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school and worked with kids at summer camp, there may be additional victims.
If you or your loved one was victimized by the suspect, police want you to give them a call.