Joseph Becker, a math teacher at Penn Ridge North Middle School in Bucks County, faced a judge on sex abuse charges brought against him. NBC10’s Deanna Durante reports after being in the court room.
A middle school teacher who the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office says exchanged explicit Facebook videos and photos with one of his students over a series of months arrived at court in handcuffs Friday.
Pennridge North Middle School mathematics teacher Joseph Becker admitted to investigators that he carried on an online sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl who is now a ninth grader, said investigators. The relationship began in July 2015 and lasted through last month, said the DA.
Becker, 30. first emailed the girl while she was his student in May. In July, Becker began to contact the girl daily on Facebook, said a criminal complaint. The Facebook Messenger messages eventually turned sexual and included photos and video, said investigators.
Becker, who hails from Chalfont, admitted to not only sending sexual photos and videos to the girl but also receiving sexually-explicit material back, said investigators.
Investigators said that Becker and the girl also masturbated for each other over Facebook messenger on multiple occasions, said the criminal complaint.
Becker teaches eighth grade math, according to the school’s website. Police arrested him at the school Friday.
Becker, wearing a winter coat and handcuffs, had no comment as he arrived for his arraignment Friday afternoon on child sex abuse, corruption of minors, child pornography and unlawful contact charges.
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In court, Becker told the judge that he is a good person who cares deeply about his family and students who made a mistake.
Since Becker works with children, the judge sent Becker to county jail after he was unable to post 10 percent of $250,000 bail Friday.
In court, Becker told the judge that he is a good person who cares deeply about his family and students who made a mistake.
The Perkasie, Pennsylvania-based school district later said it only became aware of the allegations Friday morning but never named the employee in question.
"Early this morning, we were made aware of the fact that police were investigating a situation regarding a Pennridge School District employee," said district superintendent Dr. Jacqueline Rattigan. "Since the investigation is still underway, we are not at liberty to comment further at this time. We will cooperate fully with the authorities."
