Substitute Teacher To Stand Trial For Child Porn
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) - A Pittsburgh-area middle school teacher has been ordered to stand trial on charges he shared child pornography on Twitter, despite telling police he kept his "fetish" separate from his job.
Allegheny County prosecutors say 25-year-old Matthew Sokol, of Pittsburgh, has denied taking the photographs or having sex with any of the children depicted.
He also denied taking pictures of the 7th and 8th grade students he taught as a substitute in the Baldwin-Whitehall School District, although county detectives say the pictures he was caught sending included children of that age group, down to 8-years-old.
Sokol told investigators, according to the criminal complaint, that "he had searched on Twitter for images of children as young as 8-years-old that involved children naked and/or engaging in sexual acts." Police say he then saved those photos on his cell phone.
The criminal complaint reports police found "in excess of 50 images of prepubescent and pubescent children" in a folder located on Sokol's cell phone.
Sokol waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday. His defense attorney declined comment.
According to the criminal complaint, Sokol is charged with sexual abuse of children – possession of child pornography and sexual abuse of children – dissemination of photographs, videotapes and computer.
Sokol no longer teaches in the district and faces revocation of his state teacher's license if convicted.
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