A former local teacher has been found guilty of soliciting nude photos from three female students on Snapchat.
Stephen Catania, 30, of Souderton, was found guilty of three felony counts of criminal solicitation - knowingly or permitting a computer sex act involving a child and three misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors following a bench trial in front of Common Pleas Judge Thomas Branca on Jan. 28.
Additionally, Catania was found not guilty on three felony charges of communication with a minor – sexual abuse and three misdemeanor counts of harassment, according to court documents.
Records indicate that sentencing has been deferred so the court can conduct a pre-sentencing investigation. Typically, sentencing hearings are held within 60 days of the verdict.
The charges stem from a 2019 investigation by the Towamencin Township Police Department regarding inappropriate communications between Catania — who was working as a long-term substitute teacher at the North Montco Technical Career Center — and a 17-year-old female student.
According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched to the North Montco Technical Career Center on Jan. 17, 2019, for a report from school officials regarding inappropriate communication between a teacher and a 17-year-old female student. At that time, the student informed police that she had received inappropriate messages on Snapchat from Catania, who was working as the diesel technology long-term substitute teacher, police said.
The report states that the student informed Catania that what he was doing was illegal, and Catania allegedly responded by asking her not to tell anyone. The following morning, the student received another Snapchat from Catania apologizing for the messages and offering to fix the brakes on her vehicle, according to the report.
Police conducted an interview with Catania on Jan. 17, 2019, in which he allegedly admitted to using a Snapchat account but stated that he deleted it on Jan. 15, 2019, the report states. Catania reportedly denied any inappropriate communication with the victim, but later admitted that he may have said something inappropriate and asked for a picture, according to the report.
Gina Pardovich, the Administrative Director for North Montco Technical Career Center, stated that Catania resigned following the initiation of the investigation. However, Pardovich said a second victim informed the school in March 2019 that Catania had also reached out to her via Snapchat, and the school then notified police.
On March 7, 2019, police were dispatched to the North Montco Technical Career Center due to a second female student stating that she had received social media communications from Catania. The second victim — also 17 years old — stated she had received texts on her cell phone and messages from Catania that made her feel uncomfortable, according to the report.
The second victim stated she trusted Catania and had confided in him when she was being bullied, according to the criminal complaint.
The report states that second victim began receiving messages from Catania during the summer of 2018, and at one point, Catania was confronted by the victim’s boyfriend after he requested a photo. Catania reportedly apologized several days later, according to the report.
Near the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, Catania again reached out to the second victim, asking if she wanted to "make an easy $100” for nude photos, the report states. The second victim ignored the messages, but was contacted by Catania yet again in January 2019, telling her to "delete everything,” including online messages, texts and his phone number, according to the criminal complaint.
The second victim complied with the request, the report states.
About five weeks later, the second victim allegedly received another message from Catania via Snapchat, but under a new account. The second victim reportedly asked Catania why he was no longer teaching at school, and if the rumors were true that he is a pedophile, to which Catania gave no explanation, according to the complaint.
Police conducted a second interview with Catania on April 4, 2019, in which he allegedly admitted to creating a new Snapchat account. Catania also admitted to deleting students phone numbers and conversations around the time of his first interview with police in January, the report states. When questioned as to why he was communicating with the second victim, Catania reportedly stated that she was his "favorite student” and that he viewed her as more of a friend than a student, according to the complaint.
A third victim would later surface, leading to a third count for each charge filed against Catania, police said.
Following Catania’s arrest on April 10, 2019, Pardovich commended the school’s staff and students for reporting and acting upon the issue.
“NMTCC has cooperated fully with law enforcement agencies throughout this investigation, and will continue to do so,” said Pardovich. “We join with the police to emphasize the responsible use of technology, and to affirm the rights of all individuals to live and thrive in an environment free from harassment.”
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