A former Manheim Township High School teacher was sentenced to one year minus a day to two years minus a day in county jail and four years of probation after he pleaded guilty to hoarding dozens of images and videos of child pornography on his phone, all of which were found during an investigation of him sending nude pictures of himself to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl.

Judge Merill Spahn sentenced David Sean Burkhart, of the 700 block of Scott Lane in Warwick Township, after he pleaded guilty Aug. 31 to three counts of sexual abuse of children, one count of unlawful contact with a minor and two counts of criminal use of a communication facility.

Before handing down the sentence Spahn said that the charges on their own are already “frightening,” but Burkhart’s status as a teacher at the time “makes it worse.”

“This is every parent’s worst nightmare,” Spahn said. 

An attorney representing Burkhart told the court that he was no longer employed as a teacher as a result of the charges. 

Speaking to the court prior to being sentenced, Burkhart said he accepted responsibility for his actions and did not wish to fight the charges, explaining that he was “not in a good mental state at the time.”

Burkhart, 45, exchanged sexually charged messages with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl, but was in fact two undercover police officers in Camden County, N.J.

The undercover officers first encountered Burkhart online in May. Burkhart, who identified himself as a high school teacher who previously served as a girls’ basketball coach, quickly turned the conversation in a sexual nature, sending nude pictures of himself and commenting on “checking out” young girls in his classroom.

Police seized Burkhart’s phone while executing a search warrant at the school in early September, uncovering dozens of images and videos depicting nude juveniles engaging in indecent contact with herself and others. 

One of the images, depicting five nude juveniles, was created using generative artificial intelligence. 

As part of his sentence Burkhart must register as a sexual offender with Megan’s Law for 25 years and will be evaluated to determine if he is a sexually violent predator.

Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Ponessa prosecuted the case.

Manheim Township Police Det. Nicholas Fritz filed the charges.