PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A physical education teacher in Montgomery County was arrested Friday and charged with sexual crimes involving minors.
According to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, the investigation into 54-year-old Jason Theodore began on Sept. 9 when police received a report from a young adult about years-long sexual abuse that began when he was 13.
The victim reported meeting Theodore — a physical education teacher at Montgomery Elementary School, wrestling coach for Pennbrook Middle School and a local hockey coach — online.
Police said two more victims reported being sexually abused by Theodore after meeting him online. One victim was his former student. Police said he initiated online contact after the student was no longer in his class. Theodore reportedly went by “John” online.
According to officials, the abuse happened between 2019 and 2023 and started when the victims were between 13 and 16 years old. All three victims reported that Theodore solicited child sexual abuse material and provided them alcohol and marijuana.
In a letter to families and staff, North Penn School District Superintendent Todd Bauer said they placed Theodore on leave immediately after learning about his arrest.
Bauer said there is no evidence that any of the alleged crimes took place on school grounds, but urged anyone with additional information to contact police.
Last month, a different teacher in the North Penn School District — Eric Sanville, who taught at Gwynedd Square Elementary School — was arrested and charged with manufacturing child sexual abuse material.
Theodore is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and related offenses against all three victims.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 1.
The DA’s office urges anyone who may have been victimized by Theodore to contact Montgomery County Detectives at 610-278-3368 and ask for Detective Dana Ganard.
