Pocono News Section

Middle School teacher sexual abuse

Middle School teacher sexual abuse - Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 6:11PM EST

Thursday, Feb 19, 2009 @ 06:11pm EST

A decorated middle school teacher is charged with sexually abusing a 14 year old boy.

That's the word from state police in Pike County .

44-year old Gregory Ritter teaches in the Bethlehem school district.

He turned himself into state police Thursday.

State police say this sexual abuse happened at Ritter's house in Greentown, Pike County late last year.

Ritter teaches 7th grade at East Hills Middle School in Bethlehem .

Police say Ritter met the abuse victim at Camp Trexler in Monroe County .

That's a boy scout camp and Ritter was a first aid supervisor there.

This new came as a shock to the school district.

The superintendent didn't know about these charges until Eyewitness News called and told him.

He tells us Ritter has taught in the district for more than a decade.

Ritter was even honored with the Disney american teacher award.

State police say the whole case broke when Ritter sent text messages.

Trooper Bill Satkowski says Ritter, "Invited the victim to his house where he had sexual contact with him and later made references via text messages with the victim and a result of that the victim came forward and we were able to make an arrest on the sex crimes."

We're told this abuse victim was not one of Ritter's students.

Right now, Ritter is in the pike county jail tonight on 100 thousand dollars bail.