Montco School Employee, Instructor Charged With Child Pornography

UPPER MORELAND, PA — A former employee at a Montgomery County high school who worked with students in the marching band has been charged with child pornography, police and school authorities announced Wednesday.

Douglas Penglase, who worked at the Upper Moreland School District, has been arrested. The district said that as of Wednesday, he is no longer an employee.

Details on how the child porn was discovered and linked to Penglase remain unclear. In a statement to school families, the district said that Penglase's arrest was the first they learned of the incident and they first time they received any negative report about Penglase.

"He had no prior record that would have precluded his hiring," Superintendent Sue Elliott said in a statement. "While we understand that this is an ongoing investigation, the district is not aware of any inappropriate interactions between Mr. Penglase and UMSD students or improper use of district network resources."

He has been with Upper Moreland since Sept. 2020, where he served on the instructional staff of the marching band as the percussion caption head.

No complaints or concerns were filed by students or staff against Penglase during his time in the district.

An investigation remains ongoing. If you have any information, contact the Homeland Security Investigations Philadelphia victim services tip line at 215-606-5549.