Derry Township teacher arraigned on child porn charges

A Derry Township man who works as a teacher in Indiana County has been charged with four felony charges related to child pornography.

Charles Allen Kirkland, 31, is charged by state police with two counts of child pornography and one count each of disseminating photos or film of child sex acts and criminal use of a communication facility.

Google reported suspected child pornography videos on a user’s account, and investigators traced them back to Kirkland, according to Westmoreland County District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli.

The investigation was prompted by reports from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline, according to court documents filed by state police. Parts of nine videos that were reported depicted children under the age of 18, police said.

The Google report indicated multiple files of apparent child pornography were uploaded to the account between mid-July and Aug. 4.

Investigators with the state police Computer Crime Task Force traced the user’s account to an address on Barnhart Road in Derry Township, where they served a search warrant on Sunday.

Kirkland was asleep in a bedroom there and, when interviewed, admitted to possessing, viewing and storing the reported videos on his Google Drive through multiple devices, police said.

Kirkland was arraigned Monday before Derry Township District Judge Kelly Tua Hammers and was released on $10,000 unsecured bond. He faces a preliminary hearing on Dec. 21.

Efforts to reach Kirkland by phone were unsuccessful.

He is listed on the Homer-Center School District website as a high school business teacher who joined the district faculty in August 2016. According to his profile on the site, he previously was a substitute teacher at Derry Area School District and had student teaching experience at Jeannette, Homer-Center, Gateway and Greensburg- Salem schools.

He also has worked as a receptionist at the Loyalhanna Care Center and a part-time clerk in the Indiana County treasurer’s office.

Superintendent Ralph J. Cecere Jr. said in a statement the district learned Sunday that “one of our professional employees was charged with several felonies of the third degree” but noted it could not release information about the personnel matter.

“It does not appear these events transpired or were connected with the district in any way,” Cecere said. “Nevertheless, the district has taken steps to ensure a safe campus and is working with local and state representatives to thoroughly investigate this matter. We will continue to work with all agencies cooperatively.

“The district is ready and prepared to assist any stakeholders who believe they have information needing to be shared. The community should know the district takes this matter incredibly seriously.”