C-M teacher accused of having sexual relationship with student
A teacher at Canon-McMillan High School was arrested Tuesday, accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with one of his students.
North Strabane Township police charged Justin Harry White, 48, of North Strabane Township, with 13 felony charges of sexual contact with a student and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
According to the criminal complaint, the student’s father initially reported the relationship to Cecil Township police in June. During a forensic interview earlier this month, the female student told investigators she exchanged personal emails and cellphone numbers with White during her junior year in October 2023.
Charging documents state they conversed regularly and would meet outside of school hours at the parking lot of a business at 1720 Washington Road, but that the relationship did not turn sexual until the student turned 18 in January of this year.
Canon-McMillan School District Superintendent Greg Taranto sent a letter to parents Tuesday acknowledging that White had been charged.
Taranto wrote that White was placed on administrative leave after the district was made aware that he was under investigation by Children and Youth Services.
“We take this matter very seriously. Throughout this investigation, we have cooperated fully with the police department and have also notified the appropriate authorities in accordance with legal and professional obligations,” Taranto said.
According to the complaint, between 10 and 20 sexual encounters occurred between White and the student. On Valentine’s Day, White gave her a necklace and a second cellphone, court records allege.
Charging documents accuse White of kissing the student during school hours. On at least two Sunday evenings in April, White allegedly engaged in sexual activity with the student in his classroom, the complaint states. Investigators found surveillance footage from the school that corroborated these encounters.
On one of the student’s phones, there were about 6,666 messages between her and White sent between February and June. There were an additional 1,427 messages on the second phone.
According to the complaint, White exchanged 14,380 emails with the student through their personal email accounts, and about 60 through the school district’s email system.
White was arraigned Tuesday afternoon before District Judge James Saieva, who sent him to the Washington County jail on $150,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 12.