Ex-Seneca Valley school guard charged with possessing child pornography

A former security guard at the Seneca Valley School District who allegedly sexually assaulted a high school student on school property in August 2021, faces new charges of possessing and distributing child pornography, according to police in Butler County.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Matthew A. Cowan, 24, of Pacific Avenue, Brackenridge, who was charged by Cranberry police on Dec. 23 with 14 counts of possessing child pornography, 20 counts of disseminating photographs of child sex acts and 20 counts of criminal use of a communications facility.

Cranberry District Judge Kevin Flaherty has yet to arraign Cowan on the charges, a spokesperson at the office said Wednesday.

The student told police that she and other students sent sexually explicit images to Cowan, who was employed by Securitas Security Services USA Inc., a private security company working for Seneca Valley according to the criminal complaint police filed. Police allege that at least seven people received through social media, nude digital and video images of the victim, from Aug. 21 to Aug. 23, 2022.

Police allege Cowan was using his home internet service in disseminating most of the images, according to the complaint.

Cowan was charged by Jackson police in Butler County on Oct. 20 with aggravated indecent assault, sexual contact with a student, indecent assault without consent and criminal use of a communications facility. Cowan is scheduled for an arraignment in Butler County Court on Jan. 3 on those charges, stemming from an incident with a student in August 2021.

He was free on $50,000 bond.