Ex-Downingtown West High School teacher charged with sexting with student

Chester County District Attorney's Office says man exchanged nude photos with 16-year-old

Brandon Keith Mitchell, formerly a chemistry teacher at Downingtown West High School, was charged with possessing child pornography and related offenses for allegedly sexting with a 16-year-old student.
/Chester County District Attorney's Office

A former Downingtown West High School chemistry teacher was arrested last week for allegedly sexting with a 16-year-old student, the Chester County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.

Brandon Keith Mitchell, 30, of West Chester, Chester County, and the victim allegedly exchanged more than 12,000 text messages between May 2013 and December 2014, police said. Those messages included about 10 nude photos and a sexually explicit video the student allegedly sent to the former teacher and about 20 nude photos Mitchell allegedly sent of himself, police said.

Investigators said Mitchell allegedly had instructed the student to delete all of the sexts and other messages, which allegedly included solicitations for nude photos and a request to watch the victim engage in a sexual act. Another message allegedly suggested that the victim perform oral sex on him after graduating high school.

Mitchell was charged Feb. 3 with unlawful contact with a minor, child pornography, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors.

The defendant taught at Downingtown West from Nov. 30, 2010, to April 16, 2015, when he was suspended due to the investigation. He later resigned his position.

Mitchell has a preliminary hearing scheduled Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey J. Valocchi. He is free on $50,000 unsecured bail.