Is Council Rock teacher facing child sex charges latest target of video vigilantes?

A Council Rock high school teacher is facing felony charges for allegedly attempting to meet with who he believed was a 13-year-old boy for a sexual encounter.

Instead, Steven Struzinski appears to be the latest target of video vigilantes.

Struzinski, 42, of Doylestown Township, was arraigned Thursday on charges of attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a minor and attempted unlawful conduct with a minor. He was held in Bucks County Jail and had no legal representation listed on the court docket.

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Who is Steven Struzinski and what's next?

Struzinski is a social studies teacher at Council Rock North High School in Newtown and advisor to the school’s political science club. He has worked for the district since 2003.

On Thursday, Council Rock sent out a letter notifying parents about the arrest without identifying Struzinski, who has been placed on administrative leave. A district spokeswoman declined to answer additional questions including if Struzinski is on a paid leave.

The district will investigate Struzinski’s conduct and encourage anyone with “relevant information “ to contact law enforcement. On Friday the district will make additional counselors available at Council Rock North for students and staff.

The alleged incident occurred last May at George Bush Park in Buckingham, but it was not reported to Buckingham Police until March 1, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Authorities allege that Struzinski had exchanged multiple text messages between May 20 and May 23, 2022 with an adult man posing as a 13-year-old boy.

Struzinski allegedly sent a private message to a profile for the alleged 13-year-old through an app.

The two began exchanging messages and at one point, the man posing as the boy told him he was 13.

“Wow, you look older,” Struzinski allegedly responded in a message. “You into older guys or no?”

After the adult posing as a teen sent a few photos of his face, Struzinski asked where the boy lived. When he learned it was Doylestown, Struzinski allegedly responded that he also lived in Doylestown.

Struzinski sent the “boy” a photo of his face, which police later used to confirm the picture was Struzinski, according to the affidavit.

Authorities allege that messages show that Struzinski was told several times that the person he was exchanging messages with was 13, but continued the conversation.

“If you’re cool, then I’m fine with it," Struzinski allegedly wrote. “But you let me know.”

The two arranged to meet at the Burnt Hill road park, which Struzinski said was near his house, according to the affidavit. In text messages, Struzinski allegedly wrote a “very detailed description” of the sexual acts he could perform.

The day of the meeting, the man posing as the teen allegedly remained in contact with Struzinski until he arrived at the park, the affidavit said. Struzinski allegedly messaged after he arrived in the park and confirmed he was waiting in a 2022 Nissan Pathfinder parked near a pavilion.

At that point, police allege a “witness” took a photo of the Pathfinder and its license plate. After the photo was taken, the vehicle was observed quickly leaving the area.

Police ran the plate and confirmed the vehicle was registered to Struzinski, the affidavit said.

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How are online vigilantes involved?

Buckingham police did not identify the person who posed as the teenager online in court document.

But the founder of the Texas-based video vigilante group, “Predator Poachers” claimed Thursday it is the same man responsible for at least four other Bucks County arrests in the last year involving men who allegedly engaged in sexual conversations online with whom they believed were minors.

Predator Poachers and other so-called video vigilantes conduct unauthorized sting operations inspired by the former NBC TV series, “To Catch a Predator," seeking to identify and expose adults who attempt to pursue minors in online dating and social media outlets.

So-called DYI investigators create phony online profiles in dating apps and social media sites to lure adults into in-person meetings with the promise of a sexual encounter, then often livestream the ensuing confrontation and post the footage on social media and video platforms.

They often also notify local authorities and turn over video, photos and chat logs for potential criminal investigations. In the last year, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office has prosecuted five defendants on attempted child sex charges as a direct result of information from Predator Poachers members.

A Montgomery county man is scheduled to be sentenced in May after pleading guilty to charges including attempted unlawful contact with a minor and attempted corruption of a minor. A Pipersville man arrested last June has a preliminary hearing scheduled for later this month.

A Trenton man who pleaded guilty to attempted sexual assault on a minor is serving 9 to 23 months in Bucks County Correctional facility and a Penndel man is serving seven to 15 years in state prison after pleading guilty to charges including child pornography.

The District Attorney's Office withdrew charges filed against a sixth man citing a lack of evidence.

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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Council Rock teacher arrested after video vigilante encounter