Council Rock Elementary Assistant Facing Child Pornography Charges

NEWTOWN, PA — A part-time elementary school instructional assistant in the Council Rock School District is facing child pornography charges after authorities allege he posed as a teen on Snapchat to encourage others to send explicit images. He also used a Twitch stream to direct a minor female to perform suggestive acts, authorities said.

Charles Lucas Dingman, 29, was arraigned on charges of knowingly photographing or filming a child sex act, possession of child pornography, unlawful contact with a minor, and criminal use of a communication facility, according to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.

For the past three months, the Yardley resident had been employed part-time as an instructional assistant at Holland Elementary School in the Council Rock School District. He has also served as a substitute teacher and soccer coach in other Bucks school districts, officials said.

Council Rock Superintendent Andy Sanko confirmed Dingman was immediately terminated upon the district learning of his arrest.

"Council Rock is working closely with the Bucks County District Attorney's Office and local law enforcement and is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation," the superintendent said in a statement shared on social media.

"Council Rock has zero tolerance for any crimes involving children," said the district. "We realize that this information is concerning, and want to assure families and the community that the safety and well-being of our students remains our highest priority."

The investigation was initiated on Jan. 16 after detectives with the District Attorney's Office received three CyberTips from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. The tips detailed activity on Snapchat and Twitch where a user, later identified as Dingman, solicited explicit material from minors.

Detectives traced the digital activity to Dingman’s home in Yardley. Upon his arrest, Dingman admitted that child sexual abuse material would be found on his cellular device, according to a criminal complaint.

Investigators said they have no evidence suggesting any local students or Holland Elementary students were involved in the materials recovered. However, the investigation remains active.

Dingman was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Corryn L. Kronnagel with bail set at $250,000; he bonded out later in the day.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact Detective Eric Landamia of the Bucks County Detectives at 215-348-6354.

Bucks County Detectives were assisted in this investigation by Yardley Borough Police Department, the Lower Makefield Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), Warrington Police Department, Middletown Police Department, Bucks Sheriff's Office, Horsham Township Police Department, and Newtown Township Police Department.