Pennsylvania Teacher Arrested by City Police on Felony Solicitation Charge
By Jeff Toquinto on October 03, 2014 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
A 44-year-old man from Uniontown, Pennsylvania was arrested this morning by a bevy of local law enforcement headed by the Bridgeport Police Department on charges of soliciting a minor via a computer. Deputy Chief Randy Hartley said it is a felony charge against Daniel McGarvey.
A Google search shows that a Daniel McGarvey is the choral director at Uniontow's Laurel Highlands Middle School there. A phone call was made to Principal Michael Rozgony, but he could not comment on McGarvey. However, he did say he would further the inquiries on to the superintendent of schools for their area; and those comments are below. When McGarvey was questioned by the media as he was being led out of the Bridgeport Police Department as to his status as a teacher being involved with the alleged act, McGarvey said “no comment.”
According to a criminal complaint, law enforcement noticed an ad on a social media site “looking for a younger woman.” From there, the Bridgeport Police’s involvement with the Internet Crimes against Children unit led by Detective Gary Weaver became involved. The complaint says a response was sent to the ad “and email and text message conversations began between the suspect and a 15-year-old female in Bridgeport.”
Hartley could not say if the person McGarvey was speaking to was an actual 15-year-old or someone posing as a female. Those specifics are often not revealed as part of the process.
The complaint further went on to state that McGarvey “wanted to meet the 15-year-old female and have sex. He stated he would get a room (today) and meet the female and take her to the hotel room.” From that point, law enforcement arranged a meeting area for McGarvey and the female for today. The complaint said that McGarvey “was observed near the meeting location and was detained by officers.”
According to Hartley, the arrest came without incident. From the time of McGarvey’s arrival to the arrest was a period the deputy chief said was between five and 10 minutes.
The Greater Harrison County Drug and Violent Crimes Task Force, the FBI, the ICAC and members of the Bridgeport Patrol Division were all involved.
“He was taken into custody in the area between Outback and Target at the Meadowbrook Mall,” said Hartley.
Hartley said, unfortunately, incidents such as this are not only a problem, but on the rise.
“Some of the other guys are getting into (the ICAC) more because there’s so much of it. It’s sad,” Hartley said. “Gary works on (the ICAC) as much as he can, but we could actually have another fulltime person doing that. You would not believe it. It’s like a disease. You hit one and then there’s another one.”
McGarvey was being transported at roughly noon today to the Harrison County Courthouse. There he was set to face arraignment.
Rozgony said he would have the superintendent contact Connect-Bridgeport.com. Although that did not happen, Laurel Highlands Superintendent Jesse Wallace was contacted by the Herald-Standard newspaper in Uniontown.
Wallace, according to that publication, is cooperating with the investigation.
"We are cooperating with police and taking steps to suspend the employee at this time," Wallace told the Herald-Standard.
Also, according to the paper, "Wallace said the suspension would be done by administrative action in consultation with the school board, given that criminal charges have been filed. He could not say at this time whether it would be a paid or unpaid suspension. Wallace said since McGarvey had been in daily contact with children, steps are also being taken at the middle school."
A final quote from the superintendent in the publication stated:
"We are putting mechanisms into place to help students deal with the situation, with extra counselors and crisis personnel on site," Wallace said.
McDaniel is being held in the North Central Regional Jail in Doddridge County. Bail has been set at $25,000.
Editor's Note: Photos show McGarvey being led from the Bridgeport Police Department prior to his appearance before a Harrison County Magistrate.
