On Thursday afternoon Joshua Krebs, the former Director of Support Services for the Pleasant Valley School District was in Monroe County Court. Krebs has been charged with a number of perjury and wiretap felonies and was represented by attorney James Swetz.

An omnibus hearing is a common pretrial step in criminal matters. Thursday’s hearing was to clarify issues related to the evidence in the case.

Swetz filed a number of motions to assure that the defense had received all documents relevant to the case against his client and to preclude the addition of any other documents that might not have been disclosed before the hearing. In addition, Swetz filed a motion to suppress any statements made by his client to law enforcement other than those already in evidence.

During the course of the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Michael Mancuso outlined the documents given to the defense through discovery. The list was extensive and included copies of notes and testimony from the grand jury proceedings, copies of the complaints against Krebs, transcripts of prior proceedings, screen shots from the surveillance camera, and statements made to the Pennsylvania State Police investigating officers.

One of the items covered was a written statement by Alex Sterenchok, Pleasant Valley’s network administrator.

Swetz called Sterenchok to testify during the hearing.

During his direct examination, Sterenchok said he purchased the video/audio camera used during the wiretapping. Swetz asked Sterenchok who chose the model of camera purchased. Sterenchok responded that he had.

Sterenchok said that Krebs had asked him to obtain the camera, but that Krebs did not ask him to purchase a camera that recorded sound.

Sterenchok testified that the camera was used on several occasions in the boiler room at the elementary school and once in the teachers lounge. He also testified that the audio and video feed was stored on a server that is located at the high school and that the camera itself did not have the capacity to store the recorded information.

Sterenchok testified that he assisted Krebs in setting up the camera in the teachers lounge, but that he was not present when the camera was removed. Sterenchok also testified that at some time after the camera was discovered that Krebs instructed him to delete the files from the server. Sterenchok said that Krebs told him that the information was to be deleted at the direction of the solicitor.

The first grand jury presentment in the wiretap case had suggested that Sterenchok also be charged with violations of the Pennsylvania Wiretap Law. Sterenchok, who appeared with an attorney, testified that he has not been charged with any crime related to the incident.

In September 2018, a Monroe County grand jury recommended that additional charges be brought against Krebs and former district Superintendent Carole Geary and former district employee Christopher Fisher for bullying, intimidation and retaliation.

Krebs had been placed on paid administrative leave by the district in early 2018 after Monroe County President Judge Margherita Patti-Worthington ordered him to have no contact with district employees who would be witnesses in the case against him.

In December the district negotiated a Retirement and Release Agreement with Krebs. The agreement required that district to pay Krebs for his unused sick and vacation days in the amount of $14,500. The district agreed not to appeal any decision for Unemployment Compensation if Krebs was found to be eligible.

Krebs in return agreed to hold the district harmless and release it from any future actions related to his employment with the district. Krebs also agreed to not make any disparaging remarks about the district or any district employees.