A high school teacher in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is facing serious charges related to child pornography. David Sean Burkhart, 45, who taught at Manheim Township High School, was charged after police discovered dozens of explicit images of children on his phone. The investigation began when Burkhart allegedly sent nude photos to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl, but was actually an undercover officer.
Burkhart, who previously served as a girls’ basketball coach, reportedly engaged in sexually explicit conversations with undercover officers posing as minors online since May. During these interactions, he identified himself as a teacher and made inappropriate comments about students in his classroom. Police seized his phone in September, uncovering numerous images and videos of nude juveniles, including one image created using generative artificial intelligence.
According to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office, Burkhart faces three counts of sexual abuse of children, one count of unlawful contact with a minor, and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility. He is currently free on $25,000 unsecured bail, with conditions prohibiting him from using social media or contacting children.
The Manheim Township School District has confirmed that Burkhart has resigned from his position. Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Ponessa will prosecute the case, with Manheim Township Police Detective Nicholas Fritz filing the charges.