A former Pennsylvania student teacher has been charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse of children and invasion of privacy after authorities allege he secretly filmed students in the locker room at Owen J. Roberts High School in Chester County, as well as during his tenure as an athletic trainer at Pine Richland School District in Allegheny County. According to FOX 29, 34-year-old Samuel Elliot is accused of secretly recording male students between 2014 and 2019.
Details from an investigation led by state police revealed that Elliot engaged in this conduct both at Owen J. Roberts High School and at Pine Richland School District, where he worked previously. The NBC10 reported that Elliot was charged on January 3, with offenses that occurred across Chester and Allegheny counties. His attorney stated that "Mr. Fischer has fully cooperated with the Pennsylvania State Police, including voluntarily surrendering when the criminal charges were filed." The attorney added, "He has never had any inappropriate physical contact with anyone. He voluntarily terminated his employment as an athletic trainer at the inception of the criminal investigation, and he has no contact with minors."
While working as an athletic trainer, Elliot is also believed to have surreptitiously recorded students in the high school locker room and middle school bathroom, as per the investigation findings. An incident involving the recording of the wrestling team in the shower at Owen J. Roberts High School was what initially led to Elliot's termination and eventual arrest, as confirmed by 6abc. Dr. Will Stout, the district superintendent, stressed that "the system worked as it should," with the district taking immediate action to remove Fischer and contact law enforcement.
Additional evidence came to light when investigators examined Fischer's devices, which he handed over to authorities. State police, in a news statement obtained by 6abc, indicated that Fischer's behavior while working at Pine Richland School District was parallel to his actions at Owen J. Roberts High School. The Owen J. Roberts School District conveyed its focus on the safety of its students and cooperation with law enforcement in a letter sent to parents, stressing the importance of community and law enforcement partnerships in ensuring a secure learning environment for students.
