Warning: The details of this story are graphic and could be disturbing for some readers
A Pennsylvania elementary school teacher is accused of publicly masturbating at a cemetery in Montgomery County in March as well as a park in Bucks County in June.
On March 3, 2024, shortly before 6 p.m., police responded to the Whitemarsh Cemetery along the 1100 block of Limekiln Pike in Horsham Township, Pennsylvania, for a report of a man exposing himself to people.
When police arrived, they were met by witnesses who said they were walking their dog at the cemetery when they noticed a man – later identified as 47-year-old Matthew Gagat of Horsham – who was by a headstone in the garden area.
Get top local stories in Philly delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC Philadelphia's News Headlines newsletter.
The witnesses said they initially believed the man was urinating before realizing he was masturbating, according to the criminal complaint.
The witnesses said Gagat then began to walk in their direction while “helicoptering his penis,” investigators said. The witnesses said they continued to walk away and then made their way back to their vehicle a short time later. They then noticed Gagat in the same area masturbating behind a woman as she looked at her phone, according to the criminal complaint. The witnesses then called police.
The officers then found and confronted Gagat who claimed he was urinating by a tree and walking through the cemetery to “clear his mind,” according to the criminal complaint. The witnesses then reiterated their prior accusations against Gagat who was then cited for indecent exposure, open lewdness and disorderly conduct. He did not have to post any bail at the time due to being cited with misdemeanor crimes.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
In the criminal complaint, an officer involved in the investigation said police had previous contact with Gagat but didn't specify what that prior incident was.
Gagat was also charged in connection to a separate incident that occurred in Bucks County in June, investigators said.
On June 27, 2024, around 9 p.m., police responded to the area of Lenape Park in Sellersville, Pennsylvania. They were met by a witness who said she was near a cabin in the park when she spotted a man across the creek on the Sellersville Armory side who appeared to be touching himself.
The woman told police the man – who they later identified as Gagat – was masturbating as he stared at her from across the river. Police then found Gagat and took him into custody. He was once again cited for open lewdness.
The citations against Gagat in connection to the Horsham Township incident in March were waived after the case was transferred to the Court of Common Pleas on June 21, 2024.
Gagat was set to appear in court on Tuesday, July 23, in connection to the June incident in Sellersville but the case was continued. He is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in that case on Aug. 6, 2024.
Court documents don’t list any legal representation for Gagat who could speak on his behalf.
Gagat is a fifth-grade teacher at Lynnewood Elementary School in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Haverford Township School District Superintendent Maureen Reusche sent a letter to parents on July 23, stating that the district didn’t learn of the allegations against Gagat until July 22.
“First and foremost, we understand and share in the concern this news causes, and the desire for more information and for a meaningful response from the school district,” Reusche wrote. “We will do our very best to provide as much accurate information, context, and support as soon as possible.”
After news of Gagat's alleged actions surfaced, some in the community questioned why it took so long for the school district to find out. Dennis Andrews, an education attorney and former prosecutor, told NBC10 the Pennsylvania Department of Education form requires any school district employee in the commonwealth to report when they've been arrested for any of the crimes listed, including indecent exposure.
"After the arrest, the employee has 72 hours to fill out the [[form]] called a PDE 6004," McAndrews said. "It's a form that's available online. Available to all teachers."
McAndrews said a school district employee must still report an allegation, even if they deny it.
"Since the district is aware of it now, they should be undertaking disciplinary proceedings against the teacher, which would certainly include, I would think, keeping him out of the classroom with an eye towards termination," McAndrews said. "But he's entitled to a hearing. He's entitled to due process and the school board can appoint someone to conduct it and the school board can vote on it."
On Thursday the Haverford Township School District released a statement stating that Gagat has been suspended.
"We know there are questions regarding the employment status of the teacher, Mr. Gagat. While employee privacy and the due process rights of public employees do not allow us to share specific details, I can share that the process is underway, the employee has been suspended. As part of that he has been directed that he not be present on district property or in district buildings. He has not been teaching in any summer programs," Reusche said.
Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.
