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DALLAS TWP. — A search warrant served at the Dallas Middle School in October involved a Kingston Township police investigation of a student posting an inappropriate video and a picture of another student to an online platform.
The search warrant, signed by Luzerne County President Judge Michael T. Vough on Oct. 11 and sealed for 60 days, became unsealed Wednesday at the request of the Times Leader.
Kingston Township police in the search warrant sought notes, reports, statements and other materials related to their investigation when at least eight students reported the online posting to school staff at the Dallas Middle School in September. A principal at the Middle School interviewed each of the eight students who reported the online posting.
Dallas School District Solicitor Vito Deluca said Wednesday that federal law prohibits the release of juvenile school records and a court order, such as the search warrant, was required.
The online posting occurred off campus, not on Dallas School District grounds.
According to the search warrant affidavit:
Kingston Township police received two Child Line complaints on Sept. 21 involving the same juvenile victim and alleged juvenile suspect.
Police in the affidavit alleged the juvenile suspect, a boy, pretended to be a girl online and solicited the juvenile victim to send a nude picture. The practice is commonly called catfishing.
The juvenile suspect also obtained an inappropriate video of the juvenile victim, according to the affidavit.
The video and picture were then posted on a site used by the Dallas Middle School boys soccer team and was viewed by members of the soccer team, the affidavit says.
At least eight boys from the soccer team reported the postings to school officials at the Middle School.
The search warrant lists criminal offenses of sexual abuse of children and criminal use of communication facility.
Kingston Township Police Sgt. John Fuches said that the investigation is ongoing and no one has petitioned to juvenile court yet.