A gym teacher and coach in Pennsylvania was arrested after he allegedly engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with at least three underage victims.
Jason Theodore was arrested on Friday, September 25, according to a press release issued by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, and is currently in jail after he was charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault and unlawful contact with a minor.
According to authorities, three victims reported claim they were sexually abused by Theodore, 54, between 2019 and 2023. While only three victims have come forward, investigators believe there could be more.
Theodore was working as a physical education teacher at Montgomery Elementary School and as a wrestling coach at Pennbrook Middle School at the time of the alleged assaults. Both schools are part of the North Penn School District in Lansdale, Pennsylvania.
Additionally, he worked as a local hockey coach.
The North Penn School District placed Theodore on leave on September 9, after police informed the district of the allegations..
The investigation into Theodore was first launched after a young adult reported that she suffered years of sexual abuse, allegedly at the hands of the teacher. She claimed that she met Theodore online, and he first began abusing her when she was 13 years old.
Police later discovered two additional alleged victims who claim Theodore assaulted them — one was a former student of the teacher. That former student reported that Theodore began talking to her online and abusing her once she was no longer in his class.
In light of his arrest, the North Penn School District said there is no evidence that Theodore did anything inappropriate on school property.
“I understand that this news is difficult to hear. I am also struggling to process the information. Because of the accused’s work with the IRONKnights Elementary Triathlon and his role in coaching athletics, his involvement with North Penn families extends across the district,” Superintendent Todd Bauer wrote in a letter to families and employees following Theodore’s arrest, according to CBS News.
The district said they have made counselors available to students and faculty at Montgomery Elementary School, Pennbrook Middle School and North Penn High School as people process the situation.
Theodore attended his arraignment hearing on Saturday, September 26, where he was denied bail. He is next scheduled to return to court on Thursday, October 1, for a preliminary hearing.
It’s not currently clear if Theodore has entered a plea or retained legal counsel following his arrest.
Parents, teachers, and guardians interested in learning more about protecting children from exploitation can find useful tools and information at Know2Protect.
