The former director of arts at the Parkland School District faces allegations of recording a teenage student changing clothes during a rehearsal for a play in 2021, according to officials.
Francis Anonia, 43, residing in Allentown, purportedly placed his cell phone on a shelf in the boys’ dressing area during a rehearsal of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” in April 2021 at the high school in South Whitehall Township, as stated in court documents.
The individual involved was 18 years old at the time and did not give permission to be filmed while in his underwear, as noted in the criminal complaint.
Mark Madson, Superintendent of the Parkland School District, described the allegations as “disturbing and inexcusable” in an email addressed to the Parkland community on Monday.
Anonia faces five charges related to intercepting communications and five charges of unlawful use of a communication facility, corresponding to each of the five videos that police retrieved in June, based on online court records. He is also facing nine counts of invasion of privacy.
Authorities discovered screenshots on Anonia’s phone featuring the victim in various stages of undress, according to court documents.
Upon receiving information about the allegations on April 4, the school district placed Anonia on administrative leave and “notified all mandated agencies,” Madson stated in his email. The district accepted Anonia’s resignation on June 18.
“These immediate actions reflect our protocol when misconduct allegations arise involving staff or students, ensuring timely investigations and protective measures are enacted,” Madson explained in the email.
He was arraigned on Tuesday afternoon before District Judge Jacob Hammond, as reported by a news release from the Lehigh County District Attorney’s office. Following his arraignment, he was taken to Lehigh County Jail after being unable to post $50,000 bail, the release indicated.
The criminal investigation was carried out by detectives from Lehigh County according to online records.