Former CB West choir director faces new charges

Central Bucks West High School’s former choir director was arrested Tuesday and charged with indecent assault of two young male students in the 1990s, the Bucks County District Attorney announced at a news conference.
The new charges follow the 56-year-old Joseph G. Ohrt’s arrest in February for allegedly filming a former student unknowingly while he was undressing at Ohrt’s Buckingham home, where he was living.
“His crimes now span decades,” said Bucks’ District Attorney Matt Weintraub. The two victims came forward after learning of Ohrt’s arrest last month, the DA said.
One told police Ohrt touched his penis while he was a sixth-grade student at Linden Elementary School during the 1991-92 school year. He said, Ohrt, who was his music teacher at the time, came to his homeroom at the end of the school day and brought him to the music room, holding his bottom as they walked.
Ohrt, according to court documents, offered to teach the 11-year-old to play the piano, placing him on his lap to reach the keys. Ohrt then, allegedly, touched the boy, putting his hand down his pants.
The child and his mother reported the incident to the school’s principal and guidance counselor, court records show. Ohrt was later moved to CB West High School.
The second victim told authorities he was 13 when Ohrt allegedly assaulted him.

The boy, who was a student of Ohrt’s at the time and went on to participate in many of his choirs over the years, was babysitting for the Ohrts and was in the basement when the couple returned home. He said, the choir director approached him from behind and put his hand down the front of his pants. As he tried to move away, he told police, Ohrt hugged and kissed him.
While Ohrt’s career with Central Bucks School District spanned more than 30 years and he was long held in high regard as a choir director, Weintraub said, “I anticipate he will never teach at CB again.” The DA stressed that the school district has been very cooperative with the investigation.
Ohrt taught at multiple schools in the district, including Linden, Buckingham, Doyle and Gayman elementary schools; Unami and Tamanend middle schools and CB West. He also taught at summer camps at Cold Spring Elementary and CB South High School, the DA said.
He entered administrative leave in December 2021, before his planned retirement at the end of the current school year.
Weintraub encouraged anyone who has been victimized to come forward. “It’s OK to speak your truth to us now,” he said. “We will seek justice for you and our community.”
Although the statute of limitations may be a concern in prosecuting the charges, the district attorney said, he is not “pre-judging” that.
Ohrt’s bail was set at 10 percent of $100,000. He had to surrender his passport, is forbidden from contacting the victims and is not allowed to have unsupervised contact with anyone under 18. 

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