A teacher at a private school in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has been charged with possession of child sex abuse images.
Joshua DeWitte, 50, of Cambridge, was arrested Thursday morning at his home on six counts of distributing obscene matter to a minor, distribution of child sexual act material and possession of child pornography, according to Cambridge police.
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The charges stem from allegations that DeWitte used Snapchat to speak with multiple boys under the age of 18, according to the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office. The chats included conversations that were sexual in nature.
Police said DeWitte works at Buckingham Browne & Nichols School in Cambridge, and was previously employed by the Cambridge Public Schools. They said they are still working to identify potential victims, but there is no indication that any of the victims are Buckingham Browne & Nichols School or Cambridge Public School students.
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DeWitte pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday in Cambridge District Court and was ordered held on $8,000 bail. He was also ordered to surrender his passport, stay away from any victims and witnesses, stay away from the school and not work with anyone under 18.
Buckingham Brown & Nichols said in a statement that it has placed DeWitte on leave pending the police investigation. They said he joined their faculty at the start of the school year after having successfully completed all criminal background checks and references from three previous employers.
"We will continue to keep our families apprised of any details we learn and to cooperate fully with the appropriate agencies in their investigation of this matter," said Jennifer Price, head of school at Buckingham Browne & Nichols.
