Blue Mountain teacher placed on leave after video post by predator catcher

Jan. 4—A Blue Mountain School District teacher has been placed on administrative leave after a YouTube video was posted online Tuesday morning by Musa Harris, who is known as the Luzerne County Predator Catcher.

The name of the teacher was not released in a written statement posted on the district's website and its Facebook page by Superintendent David H. Helsel.

He said the district was made aware of an incident involving a high school teacher.

"The incident does not appear to involve any Blue Mountain students," Helsel wrote. "A referral to the Pennsylvania State Police has been made and the teacher has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The district is not at liberty to make any further comment until the investigation is completed."

Helsel said by phone the district addressed the situation "appropriately." He said he notified state police at Schuylkill Haven.

"Everything happened this morning," he said Tuesday, declining to comment further.

Sgt. Tom Hornung of the Schuylkill Haven station said Helsel called the state police.

"It's an active investigation," Hornung said, declining to identify the teacher or provide any further information.

State police on Tuesday evening issued a brief statement that says staff from the district contacted the station about a video posted on social media "depicting suspected criminal activity" and that an investigation is ongoing.

It says questions regarding the investigation can be directed to Trooper David Beohm at Troop L Reading headquarters at 610-621-8630.

Harris poses as a minor in online chatrooms, engaging adults in conversations where they solicit sexual activities.

Harris arranges to meet his targets for sexual activities, but instead confronts them, recording and publishing the conversation online. He also provides transcripts of the online chats to police.

Tuesday morning he posted videos involving a man who he said is a Blue Mountain teacher.

Harris said he turned over information involving the individual to a police department in the Reading area because his confrontation was in Berks County.

School board President Michelle Vesay said in a phone interview, "Blue Mountain places student safety as their No. 1 priority."

She declined further comment, directing a reporter to the district's statement.

Kirk Mack, one of the district's assistant track coaches, who was arriving at the school Tuesday afternoon, said he didn't know about the case, but reacted with, "Wow."

A woman in her vehicle leaving for the day, who said she was an employee, was aware of the situation but had no comment.

Mike Wessner, 33, of Cressona, who was at Blue Mountain Elementary West in Friedensburg on Tuesday afternoon to pick up his 6-year-old daughter, and who also has an 11-year-old son enrolled at the middle school in Orwigsburg, said he hadn't heard about the situation.

Even though the person in question doesn't teach at either school his children attend, Wessner said: "It's still concerning to have that kind of person around our children. It is disgusting."

An employee of Schuylkill County government confronted by Musa on Nov. 25, leading to an investigation by police and the state attorney general's office for possible crimes against a minor, was found dead in his Minersville home on Dec. 22.

Contact the writer: amarchiano@republicanherald.com; 570-628-6023