CHESTER COUNTY, PA (WTXF) - Officials have announced the arrest of a former teacher for a multiple counts of endangering welfare of children and corruption of minors.
Police say Brandon Keith Mitchell, 30 engaged in numerous sexually explicit solicitations and conversations with a 16-year old chemistry student through text messaging.
Mitchell, now a former chemistry teacher at Downingtown West High School, was suspended due to this investigation. Official say he subsequently resigned from his teaching position at the high school.
According to a document released by the Chester County District Attorney's Office and the Downingtown Police Department, Mitchell solicited the victim to send him nude photographs. He also told the victim he wanted to watch the victim masturbate and sent the victim approximate 20 nude photographs of himself.
The victim then sent Mitchell 10 nude photographs and one sexually explicit video of the victim.
Officials did a search warrant of Mitchell's electronic devices and phone records revealed over 12,000 text messages between the him and the victim. These conversations lasted from May 2013 until December 2014. Mitchell told the victim to delete their conversations, according to officials.
Despite this attempt to hide crime. Police were able to recover text messages that Mitchell sent to the victim in June 2013 suggesting that the victim perform oral sex after the victim graduated from high school.
Police also recovered hundreds of other sexually explicit video of the victim to Mitchell's laptop computer
Mitchell was arrested for Unlawful Contact with a Minor, Child Pornography, Endangering Welfare of Children, and Corruption of Minor on February 3. His bail was set at $50,000 unsecured. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on March 9.
Anyone with information about this case should contact Downingtown Detective Andy Trautmann at 610-629-0263.