Former Altoona Area School District aide faces charges of showing students nude photos
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A 24-year-old former Altoona Area School District special education aide faces felony charges after he allegedly showed sexually explicit photographs to students.
Travis Barnhill of Altoona was arraigned Tuesday before Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on three felony counts each of dissemination of explicit sexual material to a minor and unlawful contact with a minor - obscene and other sexual materials and performances and three misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors.
He was released on $75,000 unsecured bail. His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 10 before Jones.
According to court documents, police began an investigation Feb. 27 after learning about an incident at the 4-D's Lounge earlier in February. Barnhill allegedly showed students nude photos of a woman while they were at the bowling alley on a field trip on Feb. 13.
Barnhill was suspended Feb. 21 after meeting with school officials, the report states.
During the investigation, police seized Barnhill's cellphone and a search warrant served on the device turned up nude photos of the woman through Snapchat.
Police said three students allegedly saw the photos during the field trip, with one student alleging that they were talking about girls when Barnhill asked if they wanted to see photos.
In an interview with police, Barnhill allegedly admitted to showing the students photos of the woman's breasts.
When police learned that he had conversations with students outside of school, Barnhill said he removed the conversations from his phone.