Joseph Arredondo, a police officer with the Easton Police Department, was on routine patrol on May 6 when he noticed a Chevrolet Equinox parked in the middle of the Easton Cemetery shortly after 1 p.m. Arredondo went up to the car and discovered a male and female engaged in sexual intercourse.
The officer questioned the pair and they allegedly admitted the woman was a substitute teacher while the boy was a high school junior. They also allegedly told Arredondo they had been having a sexual relationship since late 2015 when the boy was 16. They first met when Aldinger taught him in middle school a few years ago.
The teacher, identified as Kelly Aldinger, surrendered to police yesterday and has been charged with one count of institutional sexual assault. That charge is dependent upon the teacher-student relationship and not on the age of the boy. The age of consent in Pennsylvania is 16.
WCSH reports the cemetery manager said they have problems with vandalism, drugs and prostitution but described what allegedly took place between the student and the teacher as “remarkably disturbing.” The cemetery plans to install cameras in increase their security patrols.
The substitute teacher was employed by Source4Teachers, a company that provides substitutes for schools. Teachers like Aldinger go through stringent background checks before they are sent to schools. The substitute teacher has been suspended indefinitely and the company is cooperating with police.
Lehigh Valley News reports Aldinger served as a church leader. As recently as late last year, she served as president of St. Paul’s III Lutheran Church in Easton.
Tatum Wilson, a Northampton County Assistant District Attorney, is confident of her case against the teacher. She said Aldinger confessed and the boy corroborated what she said. More importantly, while most sexual assault cases depend upon the testimony of the victim, in this case there is a witness; the police officer who saw the intercourse take place.
After her arraignment, Aldinger was taken to the Northampton County Jail where she is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail. She is scheduled to return to court for a preliminary hearing on May 31. If convicted of institutional sexual assault she faces a maximum punishment of seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.
