Central Bucks West choir director molested 2 former students, DA says

These allegations adopted final month’s arrest of Joseph Ohrt.

Ohrt, 56, was accused of utilizing a hidden digital camera to file a former scholar undressing at his residence.

On Tuesday, the Bucks County District Lawyer’s Workplace and the Central Bucks Regional Police Division launched particulars about two accusations that he molested former college students.

In response to investigators, one sufferer stated he was indecently assaulted when he was an 11-year-old scholar at Linden Elementary College through the 1991-1992 college 12 months.

Ohrt allegedly got here to the sufferer’s classroom previous to dismissal and escorted him to the music room whereas holding the sufferer’s bottom.

There Ohrt allegedly provided to point out the sufferer the best way to play the piano, and when he could not attain the keys Ohrt allegedly had the sufferer sit in his lap.

Ohrt then touched the sufferer over his pants, then beneath his pants and underwear, the sufferer instructed police.

The sufferer and his mom reported the incident to the principal and steering counselor, police say, and Ohrt was later moved to CB West Excessive College.

The sufferer attended CB West, police say, however was not in Ohrt’s class. Nonetheless, police say Ohrt would allegedly acknowledge him and generally name him a “rat.”

The opposite alleged sufferer was a 2001 graduate of CB West who stated he had been in a number of choirs with Ohrt since he was 11 years outdated.

Again in 1995, when he was 13 years outdated, the sufferer stated he was babysitting for Ohrt and his spouse at their residence on Bishops Gate Lane in Doylestown Township.

The sufferer stated he was within the basement when Ohrt returned residence, and whereas there he instructed police Ohrt put his arms round him and touched him beneath his pants.

The sufferer instructed police that when he tried to drag away, Ohrt allegedly hugged and kissed him.

Ohrt has been positioned on depart.

College students say his conduct was odd, however loved his class.

“I used to be conscious of how bizarre he was with the boys in my class however I wasn’t conscious it could come to this,” stated CB West senior Damon Giancola.

He even taught singer-songwriter Pink, who praised him as her choir trainer in a tweet over the summer season.

Ohrt had been a trainer within the Central Bucks College District since 1987, and has taught on the following colleges:

-Kutz Elementary College
-Linden Elementary College
-Buckingham Elementary College
-Doyle Elementary College
-Gayman Elementary College
-Unami Center College
-Tamanend Center College
-Central Bucks West Excessive College

Ohrt is now charged with indecent assault of an individual beneath 14, indecent assault of an individual beneath 16, and two counts of corruption of minors.

Ohrt was arraigned and despatched to the Bucks County Jail on 10% of $100,000 bail.

Anybody with extra info is requested to contact Det Sgt Paul Kreuter at 215-345-4143, pkreuter@cbrpd.web, or submit a tip anonymously on-line.

Central Bucks College District Superintendent Dr. Abram M. Lucabaugh launched this assertion to Motion Information on Tuesday night time:

“Throughout a press convention this morning, Bucks County District Lawyer Matthew Weintraub introduced that extra prices have been filed towards former CB West music trainer Joseph Ohrt. These newest prices are the results of an ongoing investigation by County Detectives with the Central Bucks Regional Police Division and the Bucks County District Lawyer’s Workplace. The incidents occurred within the early Nineteen Nineties and concerned college students who have been elementary-aged on the time.

This newest revelation is disturbing and extremely saddening, not just for the people and households concerned, however for the whole Central Bucks neighborhood. For many who work on behalf of the youngsters of this neighborhood, it’s significantly upsetting, because the care of our virtually 18,000 college students is our most sacred obligation.

Central Bucks College District will proceed to completely cooperate with this investigation, as now we have from the onset, and helps District Lawyer Weintraub in encouraging anybody with info related to the investigation to contact Detective Paul Kreuter at 215-345-4143, Detective Greg Biedler within the Bucks County Detectives’ workplace at 215-340-8216, or submit an nameless tip at www.bucksda.org. Moreover, if you happen to consider a toddler is being abused, please name Pennsylvania’s Childline at 1-800-932-0313 or Bucks County Youngsters and Youth at 215-348-6950.

Incidents like this engender many feelings, and it’s totally attainable for this newest announcement to induce trauma or different emotional responses; subsequently, if at any level your baby expresses concern or is struggling, we encourage households to hunt help from their college counselors, or by making use of any of the sources on our web site at www.cbsd.org/sources.”