New Assault Charges Against Bucks Co. Choir Teacher: DA

DOYLESTOWN, PA — The Central Bucks West High School choir director arrested in February on wiretapping charges is now accused of molesting two young students in the 1990s, the Bucks County District Attorney's Office said Tuesday morning.

"His crimes now span decades," District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said in a news conference.

Several new tips came in after the arrest, Weintraub said, from people who said music teacher Joseph G. Ohrt, 56, touched them inappropriately while they were minors.

The first person, "John," said Ohrt touched his penis during the 1991-92 school year at Linden Elementary School, where Ohrt was his sixth-grade music teacher at the time. He was 11.

He said Ohrt came to his homeroom class one day and escorted him to the music room while holding his backside. Ohrt offered to show him to play the piano and had him sit on his lap, then put his hand down "John"’s pants and underwear and touched his private parts directly, he reported.

"John" and his mother reported the incident to the principal and guidance counselor shortly after, and Ohrt was later moved to Central Bucks West High School, the DA's office said. When he attended high school, he said he was not in Ohrt’s class but that Ohrt would sometimes call him a rat.

The other man who came forward, "Jack" said Ohrt molested him while he was babysitting at Ohrt's home in Doylestown during the 1995-96 school year, when he was 13.

"Jack" said he was in the basement when Ohrt came home and put his hand down the front of his pants, touching his private parts. Ohrt hugged and kissed him when he tried to pull away, he said.

After the investigation, Ohrt was arraigned on two counts each of indecent assault and corruption of minors with bail set at 10 percent of $100,000, the DA said. His bail restrictions include surrender of passport, no contact with victims, and no contact with any persons under the age of 18 without supervision.

Ohrt had been a teacher in the Central Bucks School District since 1987, and entered administrative leave in December before his planned retirement from the district at the end of this school year.

"I anticipate that he will never teach at Central Bucks schools ever again, and I would note that Central Bucks administration has been extremely cooperative with this investigation," Weintraub said.

>> Read about the prior charges against Ohrt.

Ohrt taught at Linden, Buckingham, Doyle, and Gayman elementary schools; Unami and Tamanend middle schools; and Central Bucks West High School. He also taught at summer camps in 2016, 2017, and 2019 at Cold Spring Elementary School and Central Bucks South High School.

Those with information related to this case or their own stories to share can contact Detective Sargent Paul Kreuter at (215) 345-4143, pkreuter@cbrpd.net, or submit a tip anonymously online.

"We will seek justice for you and for our community," Weintraub said.

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