A former world language and music teacher at Maternity BVM Elementary School, now on the faculty at Archbishop Carroll, was charged Tuesday with having indecent contact with a female juvenile and providing tetrahydrocannabinol-laced edibles to students at the Delaware County high school.
Jeremy Triplett, 30, of Dresher, who began teaching at BVM in 2011 but is no longer on staff, is expected to surrender to law enforcement authorities on Wednesday morning with his attorney.
Triplett is charged with institutional sexual assault, a felony of the third degree; unlawful contact with a minor, a felony of the second degree; two counts of both endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of minors, misdemeanors of the first degree; and one count of furnishing alcohol to a minor, a misdemeanor of the third degree.
The THC-laced edibles were allegedly in the forms of brownies and Nutella crackers, along with gummy bears laced with cannabidiol oil. There are allegedly two victims.
Triplett would allegedly bring shopping bags full of mini-liquor bottles to school to share with the two juveniles. He also allegedly vaped nicotine products with the juveniles, blowing the smoke into one another’s mouths. During these contacts, according to investigators, Triplett kissed a female victim and grabbed her buttocks, telling her he could not wait until she turned 18 years old.
“Jeremiah Triplett used his position of trust and authority as a teacher to prey on students and endangered their health by providing them with THC-infused food,” said Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun Copeland. “I would like to commend Detective (Christopher) Four of the Radnor Township Police Department for his thorough investigation and the victims for their courage in coming forward and providing information to ensure the defendant will be held accountable for his actions.”
Any other possible victims can contact the Radnor Police Department at 610-688-0503. ••
