2/23/16
The Seneca Valley teacher charged with one count of possession of child pornography has waived his preliminary hearing and will stand trial. His criminal attorney, David Shrager, believes the man, Jonathan Brecht, 26, of Franklin Park, will be exonerated and that evidence will clear the charges.
Criminal Attorney David Shrager told Channel 11 News: “We’re waiting for a full forensic review of the computer. It’s my belief that this will exonerate my client. We need that before we can proceed with the defense, and we believe this will be excellent for us,” Shrager said.
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Seneca Valley Teacher To Stand Trial For Child Porn Possession
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Seneca Valley Teacher Arrested for Possession of Child Pornography
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE REVIEW
Seneca Valley teacher accused of possessing child porn waives right to preliminary hearing
PHOTO BY MEGAN GUZA | TRIBUNE-REVIEW
| Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2016, 3:15 p.m.
A Seneca Valley teacher accused of having child porn on his personal computer waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon.
Jonathan Brecht, 26, of Franklin Park taught seventh-grade math at Seneca Valley Middle School until his arrest Feb. 11, at which point the district suspended him. Authorities began investigating Brecht in July, though they did not inform the district of the investigation until charging him.
Brecht’s attorney, David Shrager, said the defense has not received a full forensic analysis of Brecht’s computer. He believes it will exonerate Brecht by showing the photos were not contraband.
According to the criminal complaint, Brecht came to the attention of authorities when Skout.com, a social website and app, tipped them off in July that he had an inappropriate conversation with a girl who identified herself as a minor.
Brecht told an investigator with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office in July that he had images of child pornography on his computer and that he had a sexually explicit conversation with a 16-year-old girl online while posing as a woman, according to the complaint.