Plum teacher to remain free on bond in sex case
A Plum Senior High School teacher accused of having an improper relationship with an 18year-old student will be allowed to remain free on bond pending trial.
Prosecutors attempted Thursday to have the bond revoked for Jason E. Cooper, 38, after they said he sent a Facebook friend request and a text message to a girl who is a friend of the alleged victim in the case.
Mr. Cooper is charged with institutional sexual assault, corruption of minors and furnishing alcohol to minors. He also is charged with intimidation of witnesses for calling the alleged victim.
Assistant district attorney Evan Lowry told Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Edward J. Borkowski that Mr. Cooper had previously been warned not to contact any potential witnesses.
Mr. Lowry said revoking bond was “the safest way we can prevent the defendant from interfering in this case.”
Plum Detective Mark Focareta testified that the girl approached school administrators March 25 and said Mr. Cooper had contacted her.
The girl told the detective that she ignored Mr. Cooper’s friend request as well as a text message he sent that said, “Hey.”
Detective Focareta said the girl, who has knowledge about the alleged relationship and had previously discussed it with Mr. Cooper, was fearful.
“Thank God she didn’t respond back, because we could be in a different position than we are now,” Mr. Lowry said.
But defense attorney Michael DeRiso said the prosecution was overreaching, adding, “There's a lot of supposition and assumption here.”
The girl Mr. Cooper contacted is not listed as a witness in the case, the lawyer said. “There is no violation of the bond.”
Judge Borkowski responded that it is likely Mr. Cooper knew the girl could be a witness.
Still, the judge continued, “I think it would be rather harsh at this time to revoke his bond entirely.”
Judge Borkowski ordered him to have no access to the Internet or to any communication device other than a landline telephone.
“There’s a big difference between spending the pretrial period in your home instead of at the Allegheny County Jail,” Judge Borkowski said. “I don’t think you’d fare too well down there.”