Connellsville teacher charged with sexting former student
A Connellsville Area Middle School teacher was jailed Friday after being charged with exchanging explicit photos and texts with a 14-year-old former student.
The investigation into Ashley Mongell, 30, began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a tip to the Pennsylvania State Police Computer Crimes Unit about communications between an account associated with Mongell and one used by the youth, who had listed his age as 17 on the account, according to charging documents.
Mongell said the boy was in her eighth-grade class last year, according to the complaint, The district website identifies her as a seventh-grade science teacher.
She told police the teen had sent her a fully nude photograph of himself, while she had also sent an inappropriate photograph to him, according to the complaint.
Mongell told police the two corresponded on Instagram, cellphone and Snapchat, the affidavit said.
Instagram messages between the two started on Jan. 17 and continued until Aug. 24, according to court papers. On Jan. 18, Mongell texted the boy “my dream last night,” followed by multiple fire emojis.
Mongell asked the teen why the messages weren’t disappearing, and asked him to fix it, according to the complaint.
After an eight-month gap, the two discussed moving their conversation to Snapchat, after which Mongell told the boy “no texting me for 9 years,” the complaint said. The boy then responded with his Snapchat nickname.
Mongell and the teen both told police they had exchanged naked photographs, which police found on both of their devices, the complaint said.
In a statement posted briefly to the school district’s Facebook page before being taken down, Superintendent Richard Evans said Mongell had immediately been placed on administrative leave after state police notified the district of the charges Friday afternoon. He said the district would cooperate fully with police.
“We understand that news like this is unsettling and may raise concerns, and we want to assure our families and community that the District is taking this matter very seriously,” Evans said in the statement.
Mongell is charged with unlawful contact with a minor, sexual abuse of children and corrupting a minor.
Mongell was unable to post the $40,000 bail and was lodged in the Fayette County jail.
Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 24 before Magisterial Judge Jason Cox.