Phoenixville Man, Abington HS Teacher Guilty Of Sex With Student

PHOENIXVILLE, PA — A Phoenixville man and Abington Senior High School teacher faces up to 28 years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to having sex with one of his students.

Thomas Kummer, 56, admitted to charges of corruption of a minor and institutional sexual assault, court documents show. He faces a maximum penalty of 14 to 28 years in prison.

Kummer has been a Latin teacher in the high school for decades. He first came under the radar of local authorities following a tip from a concerned citizen last fall, police said.

Police said there was evidence that Kummer had been having sex with the 17-year-old victim since July 2018. The incidents occurred inside of Kummer's vehicle across Abington Township, and also at Kummer's former home in Willow Grove, police said. Police records show text messages between Kummer and the victim from July 1 all the way to Sept. 30, which is the day Kummer was arrested.

The texts detailed Kummer's infatuation — "I miss you, I love you," he wrote — as well as an increasing anxiety that he would be caught. "We need to pick our steps, we need to protect ourselves," "you need to delete everything," and "I always have 2 emergency tickets to the Caribbean."

Kummer's most recent address is in Phoenixville, according to court documents.

He also faces separate charges for possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

He was released on $250,000 bail. His sentencing hearing is forthcoming.