HARRISBURG, PA — In a case that has shaken the Bellwood Antis School District, two school officials face felony charges for their alleged failure to adequately protect students amid sexual assault allegations against a former junior high wrestling coach, the Office of Attorney General Michelle Henry announced this week.
The accused coach, Ryan Blazier, was convicted of sexual assault and sentenced to decades in prison in June 2023. Now, the spotlight turns to Charles Burch, 52, the school’s former athletic director, and Timothy Andrekovich, 59, the head varsity wrestling coach at the time of the offenses.
Burch is charged with intimidating a witness for allegedly threatening a student victim of Blazier’s if the victim disclosed the allegations. Andrekovich is charged with endangering the welfare of children for his alleged failure to adequately carry out a safety plan during the investigation into Blazier’s sexual assaults, which allowed Blazier to continue having unsupervised access to students.
Both Burch and Andrekovich were arraigned Thursday, with bail set at $50,000 unsecured for each defendant.
Attorney General Henry emphasized the gravity of the charges, stating, “As school district employees, these defendants were trusted by students, parents, and the community to protect, educate, and mentor young people.” She continued, “Instead, they were notified of abuse allegations and failed to take adequate measures to protect the students for whom they were responsible.”
The charges follow an investigation by the Office of Attorney General that found in December 2019, school officials, including Andrekovich and Burch, were informed that Blazier was under investigation for child sexual abuse. A “safety plan” was put in place to ensure Blazier did not have unsupervised access to children on school property. However, despite Andrekovich’s agreement to enforce the safety protocols, Blazier continued to have access to children behind locked doors.
The investigation also revealed that in February 2020, Burch allegedly threatened one of Blazier’s student victims with repercussions if the student disclosed concerns about Blazier.
Attorney General Henry further stated, “My office is committed to protecting children, including holding those accountable who perpetuate abusive behavior.” She added, “Let me be clear: when you have the professional responsibility to safeguard the well-being of children and fail to do so, we will investigate and prosecute that conduct.”
Pennsylvania residents are encouraged to contact the Attorney General’s Child Predator Section at 1-800-385-1044 with any information about child predators. Concerned citizens can also report child abuse to the Pennsylvania ChildLine by calling 1-800-932-0313.
Deputy Attorney General Julia van Leeuwen is prosecuting the case, which was referred to the Office of Attorney General by the Blair County District Attorney’s Office. As with all legal proceedings, it is important to remember that these charges are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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