Former Plum H.S. Teacher Charged With Sex With Student Sent To Jail

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A former Plum High School teacher charged with having sex with a student has been sent back to jail.

Jason Cooper walked into the Allegheny County Courthouse on his own accompanied by his attorney. But, he left the courthouse in handcuffs accompanied by sheriff's deputies.

The prosecution said that two days before Christmas, he drove down the street of the alleged victim while under house arrest in violation of his bond.

The teenage neighbor of the alleged victim testified she knew Cooper because he once taught her chemistry class and saw him around 4 p.m. Dec. 23.

" I saw Mr. Cooper drive by my house," she testified. "He was looking over his shoulder looking toward her house."

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But the defense produced a witness who testified Cooper was on the South Side at a retirement exit counseling session and left the South Side at about 3:35 p.m.

A witness who reviewed his electronic monitoring bracelet testified he was back home by 4:13 p.m. Not enough time, argued the defense, to go to the alleged victim's neighborhood.

"I think that the witness indicated and you all heard it, that it was a split second viewing," said defense attorney Mike DeRiso. "It wasn't timing and logistically Mr. Cooper was 25 miles away at 3:45 on a Wednesday afternoon and they expected him to get to Plum in 20 minutes. I just logistically I think that it's impossible. But it's not my call."

It was Judge David Cashman's call who believed the witness and rejected the defense argument.

"The eyewitness knows you," the judge told Cooper. "There was no need to go where the victim resided. The victim should never be concerned that somebody can get to her."

And with that, Cooper was taken back to jail, where he will remain until trial, scheduled for mid-February.

Stay with KDKA for Harold Hayes' full report on this developing story.