Former Pa. cop accused of sexually assaulting child at school, filming another

A police officer assigned to work at an eastern Pennsylvania school has been arrested for allegedly having sex with a 14-year-old student and taking an “upskirt” video of an 11-year-old girl at the school, authorities said Wednesday.

Costas Alestas, 43, of Palmer Township, was arraigned Wednesday on multiple criminal charges and then sent to Northampton County Prison on $500,000 bail, according to arrest records.

Authorities were made aware of possible misconduct involving Alestas and a minor on May 1, Bethlehem Police Department Cpt. Nicholas Lechman said at a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

Officials with the Bethlehem Area School District contacted police regarding an alleged inappropriate relationship between a 14-year-old female student at East Hills Middle School and Alestas, who served as the school’s resource officer.

According to Lechman, Alestas was immediately placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, but has since been fired.

On May 2, investigators conducted an “extensive interview” with the girl, who said she had been in contact with Alestas.

After the victim’s mother discovered text messages exchanged between the two, Alestas “began using a second phone” to contact the girl.

Their conversations initially involved planning to meet to engage in sexual acts, the girl told detectives, but eventually progressed to “several encounters involving sexual contact between the two.”

Those encounters occurred both at school, during school days, and outside, when he would drop her off in areas near her home so they wouldn’t get caught.

During an encounter at school, Alestas sexually assaulted her while wearing his police uniform, officials said.

A search through his cellphone also produced an “upskirt” video of an 11-year-old girl at the school, police said.

In a message posted online, the Bethlehem Area School District said officials became aware of allegations of misconduct on April 29, “when a student shared information with their guidance counselor.”

“The alleged inappropriate behavior violates community trust in our schools, undermines safety, and is illegal, intolerable, and inexcusable,” officials said.

According to the district, Alesas also served as a soccer coach for the school.

Alestas is charged with felonies of statutory sexual assault, institutional sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with someone younger than 16, and criminal use of a communications facility, as well as a misdemeanor of invasion of privacy.