CHESTER, Pa. (KYW Newsradio) — A 57-year-old teacher and baseball coach from Delaware County has been arrested and charged with inappropriate contact with two 15-year-olds.
Officials in Delaware County say Daniel Waters of Glen Mills used his position of power at Chester High School to groom teenage boys for his own sexual gratification.
Waters is facing a long list of charges, including sexual assault of minors and institutional sexual assault.
Waters gave the 15-year-olds alcohol and access to marijuana, let them drive his car, and bought the boys gifts, including an ATV, according to the criminal complaint. The complaint also says Waters admitted to illegally buying a gun for one of them.
"What we call straw purchasing — he bought a firearm for someone who legally cannot have a firearm. This juvenile is of the age where you cannot possess a firearm," Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said.
That gun has not yet been located.
The criminal complaint alleges Waters pleasured himself while in a room with the teens, bought them sex toys, and tried to perform sex acts on them. Investigators say they recovered text messages sent from Waters' phone to the teenagers with descriptive sexual content.
One of the boys told police he thought he would lose his spot on the team if he didn't lie to his mother and to police about the nature of the relationship, according to the complaint.
"It's egregious enough that anybody preys on our children for their sexual gratification, but when they're using a position of power, it diminishes the entire respect people have for those institutions," the district attorney said.
Chester-Upland School District (CUSD) officials say they're shocked and disappointed in the allegations and are cooperating with local and state law enforcement agencies to ensure a comprehensive investigation.
"The behavior alleged in this incident is completely unacceptable and contradicts the values and expectations we uphold within our school district. Safeguarding the well-being of our students is our top priority," they wrote in a statement released Tuesday.
"We know that this incident may raise serious concerns among parents, families, and CUSD stakeholders. We will be providing support to our staff and families, and encourage anyone who has questions to reach out to a school administrator.
"This is a troubling incident that will take a collaborative effort to navigate through. … We remain committed to upholding our responsibilities, fostering a safe and conducive learning environment, and ensuring the well-being of our students."
Stollsteimer says investigators are asking anyone who may have similar contact with Waters to contact Pennsylvania State Police.
