HARRISBURG — On Wednesday, the Judicial Conduct Board of Pennsylvania filed a petition in the Court of Judicial Discipline seeking the suspension of Perry County Magisterial District Judge Michael E. Schechterly after he was charged with various child sex crimes, including indecent assault, according to court documents.

Pennsylvania State Police allege that in 2015, Schechterly, current age 58, had four children spending the night at his court office in Newport Borough, in which he had pornographic videos, at least some of which depicted the sexual assault or abuse of young females. Schechterly later told police he had been seeking help for a self-described porn addiction through a support group called “Genesis” at his church in Newport, according to court documents.

Police also allege Schechterly continued to bring young children to his office during the COVID-19 shutdown in the spring. A witness told police that Schecterly was seen following one of the children into a restroom and a “significant amount of time” had passed before Schechterly returned. It was later learned this same child was having sleepovers at Schechterly’s residence.

In the affidavit, police also said Schechterly had inappropriate contact with children he met through his role as a leader in the Royal Rangers program through his church in Newport, of which Schechterly also is the sectional commander for a six-county area.

According to court documents, Schechterly admitted to police one occasion during which he had touched the “crotch/groin area” of a then-12-year-old, but at first said the child had put Schechterly’s hand there before he told the child “no” and pulled it away. Police said Schechterly then changed his story to say the child had placed their own hand on Schechterly’s crotch.

Police said children reported Schechterly would often appear in front of them at his residence in his underwear and would touch his own genitals frequently. Police also viewed surveillance footage from Schechterly’s office that showed him with two children younger than 10 years old sitting on his lap and Schechterly preventing one of the children from being able get off his lap.

In the filing, the judicial board noted that while it was seeking a suspension for Schechterly, “[a]s to the pending criminal charges, Judge Schechterly enjoys the presumption of innocence unless and until he is convicted.”

According to an online docket sheet, Schechterly is charged with five counts of unlawful contact with a minor, one count of corruption of minors, one count of indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old and one count of contact or communication with a minor for the purpose of sexual abuse.

He is currently incarcerated in the Cumberland County Prison, having been denied bail with the listed reason as “danger to public or self.” His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Nov. 23 before Magisterial District Judge Jonathan R. Birbeck in Carlisle.