‘We did not see this coming': Former Lehigh Valley cop sexually assaulted middle schooler: police

A former Bethlehem Police Department officer will be charged will multiple offenses for the the alleged sexual assault of a student -- and filming another -- at a middle school where he worked, according to court documents.

Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta along with law enforcement officers from Bethlehem, announced plans to bring charges of sexual assault, sexual contact with a student, aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, invasion of privacy and related offenses against Officer Costas Alestas, 43, of Easton, during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

According to court documents, the allegations involved Alestas' interactions with at least two victims -- aged 14 and 11.

Allegations against Alestas

Investigation into the allegations against Alestas, court documents note, initially began on May 1, after officials learned of interactions he allegedly had with a student at East Hills Middle School, where he was assigned as a school resource officer, from a school guidance counselor.

Documents claim that Alestas provided the middle school student with his personal cell phone number and the two began communicating in February until the victim's mother found messages in the child's phone.

Yet, court documents note, Alestas told the victim he would "think of another way to communicate" with them.

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In the coming weeks, court documents claim, text messages turned into secret meetings where Alestas would, allegedly, kiss, grope and have the victim strip nude in his office at the school.

Eventually, court documents claim, Alestas sexually assaulted the child in his office while wearing his police uniform.

Further, the documents allege that, in repeated meetings after school, Alestas would take the victim to secluded locations -- including the parking lot country club in Bethlehem and a park and ride lot in Easton, based on evidence police say they retrieved from Alestas' cell phone -- where further assaults would occur.

Allegations involving a second victim stem from an "upskirt" video of a student at the school where Alestas worked that police allegedly found on his cell phone, according to court documents.

'We did not see this coming'

Bethlehem Police Chief Michelle Knott said Wednesday that Alestas has been terminated by the police department after an internal investigation.

"We understand the concerns this incident may raise between parents, students and the community at large," she said, noting that the allegations against Alestas did not reflect the behaviors of the rest of her department.

"We did not see this coming," she said. “He was well-liked at the school; he had received awards of merit in the past. So, this comes as an absolute shock and surprise.”

District Attorney Baratta said that the allegations against Alestas were troubling, and he worried there could be more victims out there.

"There may have been other children that were contacted," he said, noting the county had recently investigated another school resource officer in a similar situation.

“There are dangerous people out there. There are predators out there and they pass among us day in and day out and it’s our job to hopefully, God willingly, take them into custody and hold them accountable when they break the law," Chief Kott said.

Officials are urging parents to talk with their children and check their phones.

Baratta called for an "absolute, no exceptions policy" that would prohibit school resource officers from meeting one-on-one with students alone in their offices.

Even in situations where an officer would be investigating a crime, Baratta said, school resource officers are required to interview students with other adults present.

"There's no reason for a school resource officer to be secreted in an office alone with a student by themselves," he said.

Court documents note that Alestas is currently in custody at the Northampton County Jail after being unable to post $500,000 bail. He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday.

On Wednesday afternoon, Alestas' attorney, George S. Nassif, said his client -- and his client's family -- would ask the public to respect their privacy during the ongoing investigation.

"My client and his family would ask that the public please respect their privacy during this ongoing investigation. Costas enjoys the presumption of innocence and has entered a not guilty plea at this time," Nassif wrote in a statement to NBC10.

The Bethlehem Area School District said on Tuesday that it was investigating after learning of an alleged relationship between a student in the district and a school resource officer.

According to the school district, in a letter to parents -- which didn't identify Alestas by name -- he served as an officer and soccer coach at East Hills Middle School. "The alleged inappropriate behavior violates community trust in our schools, undermines safety, and is illegal, intolerable, and inexcusable," the letter read. "Our students' physical and emotional safety has been and will continue to be the BASD’s first priority."

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.