PITTSBURGH, PA — A state representative is asking the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office to probe the Laurel Highlands School District after criminal sexual abuse charges were filed against multiple teachers there.
Additionally, Fayette County District Attorney Mike Aubele said he is investigating similar accusations in other southwestern Pennsylvania districts.
That comes after Laurel Highlands High School JROTC instructor Daniel Cervone last week was arrested after Pennsylvania State Police learned of allegations of sexual activity between Cervone and a student.
Cervone has been charged with institutional sexual assault, corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor. According to Aubele’s office, he had sexual contact with a former student when she was 15-16 years old.
A week earlier, Martin Gatti, 50, a Laurel Highlands High School teacher and onetime Uniontown City Council member, also was charged with attempted institutional sexual assault, unlawful conduct with a minor and corruption of minors.
He has been placed on administrative leave.
State Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, a Fayette County Republican, wants the attorney general’s office to probe a possible pattern of misconduct and failures in oversight.
“When multiple cases emerge within the same district over time, it is no longer sufficient to view them in isolation,” she said.
“These circumstances raise legitimate questions about whether there is a broader pattern and whether existing safeguards and reporting requirements were consistently followed.”
In a letter sent to Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday, Grimm Krupa requested a review of compliance with Pennsylvania’s mandatory reporting laws, as well as an examination of whether any additional incidents, patterns of conduct or victims may exist.
“This is about ensuring that nothing was missed,” she said. “If there are additional victims, they deserve to be identified and heard. And if there were failures in reporting or oversight, those must be fully examined.”
Aubele suggested that the scandal could be more widespread.
“My office continues to field reports from Laurel Highlands and other districts in the county, including alleged violations of the Child Protective Services Law (failure to report abuse),” he said.
“We encourage every victim to come forward; every allegation will be investigated fully by my office and Pennsylvania State Police – Uniontown.”