Local News

Woman claims she warned school about fired band director’s criminal past

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): A woman who was molested as a teen says she warned an area school about the man who did it last year… well before he ended up being fired amid allegations of misconduct.

The woman, who spoke with our Partners in News at ABC 21 and requested that her identity be withheld, says Josiah Pfenning molested her 12 years ago, and that she tried to warn Heritage Junior/Senior High School last year, after she found out he had been serving as the school’s band and choir director since 2015… but got no response.

“I explained the conviction, I expressed that I thought he was still a dangerous person to have around kids… I think it’s shameful.”

Pfenning pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct in that case back in 2007 and only served six months in jail. It has since been expunged from his record. He was fired from the school last month and has not been charged.

The East Allen Community Schools district isn’t commenting, other than to say they found nothing in a criminal history check that was done when Pfenning was hired.

Related posts

LaGrange Police Hunt for Home Burglars

WOWO News

Semi crashes into tractor on I-69 in DeKalb County

Ian Randall

$2,000 reward offered for info about hit and run crash that killed a man

Saige Driver

2 comments

Dave McComb September 12, 2019 at 10:00 am

Definitely deserves a look at hiring practices.

Reply
Buck September 16, 2019 at 1:44 pm

“expunged from his record”? Until our lawmakers and courts take this kind of thing seriously it’s just going to continue to happen. When incarceration went from “Punishment” to “rehabilitation” is when the downfall of our Justice system started.

Reply

Leave a Comment