New charges filed against former choir director, police concerned there may be more victims

Doylestown, Pennsylvania: Last month, on February 8, 56-year-old Joseph Ohrt was arrested and charged with multiple counts related to hiding a camera in a bedroom in order to secretly record a former student undressing.

The investigation began in May, 2021 after the former student of Central Bucks West High School, who had graduated in 2016, told officers that he had Ohrt had  "conflicted" relationship beginning in his junior year.

According to WCAU, the former student explained that Ohrt would sometimes approach him from behind and hug him, tell him he loved him, and inappropriately touch him. At one point, the former student even moved into Ohrt's home.

At the time of that arrest, law enforcement issued a statement asking that anyone that may have been a victim of Ohrt contact the Central Bucks Regional Police Department at (215) 345-4143 or the Bucks County Detectives at (215) 348-6354.

Now, while reiterating that same plea, law enforcement has announced new charges against Ohrt.

On Tuesday, March 8, he was arraigned on two counts of indecent assault and two counts of corruption of a minor.

"The defendant perpetrated these crimes on each of his two additional victims about give years apart in the 1990s," Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub stated. "So his crimes now span decades."

The two former students report that they were 11 and 13 and students at Linden Elementary School at the time of the incidents.

According to the Bucks County Courier Times at least one of these incidents were reported to the school principal an guidance counselor at the time. Rather than terminating Ohrt, he as transferred to Central Bucks West.

Weintraub is concerned that there may be still more victims due to Ohrt's former employment at five different elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. He additionally worked with kids at a summer camp. He has taught music since 1987.

"I hope and pray the defendant has not victimized any other children in the preceding decades, but I fear that my prayers my not be answered."

In a statement issued on the same day that the new charges were announced, the Central Bucks School District acknowledged that "this latest revelation is disturbing and incredibly saddening" and encouraged anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact the Bucks County Detectives or the District Attorney at BucksDA.org if wishing to remain anonymous.