KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The choir director at Saint Thomas Aquinas High School was charged Monday with two more counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
Joseph Heidesch, 45, was orginally charged in early October with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and two counts of breach of privacy for incidents that allegedly occurred between Jan. 1, 2019 and Sept. 16, 2021. He now faces four counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
According to court documents, Heidesch used a concealed recording device to record an underage person as young as 14 years old and to also record a second adult victim.
Heidesch made his first appearance in Johnson County District Court on Oct. 7, 2021.
Saint Thomas Aquinas High School personnel are listed among the witness list in the criminal complaint filed Monday.
A Johnson County, Kansas, judge sealed court records relating to the case because it "could jeopardize the physical, mental or emotional safety or well-being of a victim, witness, confidential source or undercover agent, or cause the destruction of evidence," according to prosecutors.
Heidesch is still being held in the Johnson County Jail on a $250,000 bond, and he has a hearing scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Heidesch was most recently listed as being on administrative leave at the school.
