x
Breaking News
More () »

Middle School Basketball Coach, Retired Teacher Faces Child Porn Charges

BERWICK, Pa. — A middle school girl’s basketball coach in the Berwick Area School District was suspended from his position after facing child porn c...

BERWICK, Pa. -- A middle school girl's basketball coach in the Berwick Area School District was suspended from his position after facing child porn charges.

In addition to coaching basketball, David Sheilds was also a retired elementary school teacher in the district. He is facing 50 felony counts for possessing child pornography.

Court papers show Shields admitted to police that he was looking at child porn and searched keywords such as, "tweens" and "jail bait".

Colleen Travelpiece's two children had Shields as their teacher.

"They always loved him. It was a real shock. She sent me the information the other day and she's like, 'Mr. Shields!' It was a bummer," Travelpiece said.

"These are the people that you trust with your kids. You trust them with your children and this is what they do. It's very, very sad," Parent Audrey Ruiz said.

Police found child porn images and videos all over Shields' computer. Shields told police he didn't know it was illegal.

"C'mon. This is 2019, is not? How do you not know that," Ruiz said.

"I am amazed by adults who don't think that's wrong. You hear that often and it's like, how could you not think that's wrong," Travelpiece said.

The superintendent couldn't talk to Newswatch 16 on camera but did say the school is shocked and disappointed. Shields was suspended from his coaching position as soon as the school found out about these charges.

"If he did what they're accusing him of, shame on him. He needs to go to jail," David Kovach of Berwick said.

"Get rid of him. Get him out of this town. There's going to be a lot of angry people. I can assure you, there's going to be a lot of angry people," Ruiz said.

Shields is out after posting $150,000 bail. He is due back in court later this month.

Before You Leave, Check This Out