Bucks County teacher's assistant charged in child pornography investigation

YARDLEY, Pa. (WPVI) -- A part-time instructional assistant at Holland Elementary School has been fired after Bucks County authorities charged him in a child pornography investigation.

Police say 29-year-old Charles Dingman is accused of sending and soliciting sexually explicit images from minors on social media.

Neighbors described their shock after learning of the allegations.

"I saw his photo, and I realized I talked to him regularly," said Dawn Perlmutter of Yardley.

She added, "He would walk by, and I would say, 'Hello.' And you know you just would never expect that."

According to investigators, the probe began two weeks ago after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children submitted cyber tips to the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.

Detectives say they were able to trace the email address and social media accounts and messages back to Dingman's home address.

The investigation culminated early Thursday morning when several officers executed a search warrant at his residence on W. College Avenue just after 6 a.m.

Police say Dingman targeted girls believed to be as young as nine years old on the Twitch streaming platform and Snapchat.

Perlmutter said the allegations highlight how easily predators can interact with children online.

"These predators talk to them through those games, and the parents just think they're playing video games. They're really tech savvy," she said.

A criminal complaint outlines messages authorities say Dingman sent while posing as a child on Snapchat.

In one message, he wrote, "I send, so you should send too, plus I'm 13 and age doesn't matter, all ages can send."

In another, he wrote, "If you're shy, it's okay, we can still talk, and you can send other less naughty things at first."

Detectives say Dingman admitted that investigators would find child pornography on his phone.

Police say Dingman had worked as a part-time teacher's assistant in the Council Rock School District and also served as a substitute teacher and soccer coach in other Bucks County districts.

"You got sick people in this world. They live everywhere. No community's immune," neighbor Earl Markey said. "That's concerning that they would be able to have that access to students," he added.

Authorities say they do not believe any local children, including those at Holland Elementary, were targeted in the alleged crimes, but the investigation is ongoing.

Attempts to reach Dingman and the school district for comment were unsuccessful. Dingman posted a $250,000 bond Thursday and is scheduled back in court on Feb. 10.