Peters Township School District IT contractor arrested on child porn charges
An IT contractor with the Peters Township School District was arrested after investigators said they found child pornography on his laptop.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation into 46-year-old Jason Ayres began in late November of 2024. Investigators said they traced an IP address to Ayres' home on McClane Farm Road in Washington County.
On Wednesday, state and local authorities served a search warrant on Ayres' home, seizing a laptop which investigators said contained at least three files of child sexual abuse material.
Investigators said they learned Ayres was at work during the time of the search warrant, so they went to Peters Township High School and brought him back to the Chartiers Township police station.
During an interview, investigators said Ayres admitted to looking at child pornography "on and off for a couple of years," including AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
In a statement sent to parents on Wednesday night, the district said a contractor, who works for Questec, was taken into custody at the high school.
"Law Enforcement reported to the School District that, at this time, the arrest does not relate to Peters Township School District or its students. However, the investigation is ongoing, and the School District will continue to cooperate," the statement read.
The district said it terminated Ayres' contract, and his access to facilities and technology systems has been revoked.
Ayres is facing three counts of child sexual abuse material and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.
"It's really surprising, and I didn't expect it at all," Peters Township junior Hailey Bateson told KDKA on Thursday.
"He seemed like a really nice guy," she added.
