Former Concord Teacher Pleads Guilty To Human Trafficking

CONCORD, NH — A former New Hampshire high school teacher accused of soliciting sexually explicit videos from a student for money, while making and possessing child pornography has pleaded guilty to human trafficking and manufacturing child sex abuse images Wednesday.

Joshua Harwood, 38, of Manchester, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to two felony counts, one charge of human trafficking, and a charge of the manufacture of child sexual abuse images.

A business teacher at Concord High School, Harwood was hired in July 2020. In December, police say they were notified of a tip from a former Concord High School student accusing the new teacher of being involved in soliciting younger men online through Grindr, a self-described dating site and app for gay and bisexual men and the trans community.

According to Deputy County Attorney George Waldron, the human trafficking charge comes from a March 2019 incident where Harwood solicited a sexually explicit live video session from an underage Concord High student in exchange for $15 paid via Venmo.

The district immediately placed the teacher on leave and requested police investigate the allegations. He was later arrested and has been in jail since February.

The judge said Harwood will be sentenced at a later date after both sides requested additional time to prepare statements for the court.

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