2nd teacher in Western, Pa. district faces sex charges

MONESSEN, Pa. (AP) — A western Pennsylvania teacher was arrested on sex charges a day after a former teacher from the same district was accused of having sexual contact with three students.

Industrial arts teacher Michael Cirner, 26, of Monessen, was arrested Wednesday after he left work at the Monessen School District. Prosecutors said Cirner had sexually explicit online chats with two investigators he thought were 13- and 14-year-old girls.

The Valley Independent in Monessen reports the alleged conversations began in March and continued until Cirner’s arrest.

Cirner, who had been a teacher in the district for four years, was arrested a day after authorities filed sex charges against former Monessen teacher Ashley Herre-Bagwell, 29.

Prosecutors believe the former English teacher had sexual contact with at least three female students from Sept. 1, 2009, through March 29, including some encounters in her locked classroom. Herre-Bagwell was fired from her teaching job in June.

Cirner is charged with unlawful contact with a minor, criminal solicitation, corruption of minors and other offenses. He was arraigned and sent to Westmoreland County Prison on $75,000 bail.