ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A former Parkland Schools official who resigned this summer after he was accused of secretly recording a student in the boys’ changing room was ordered Tuesday to face court action on the charges.
Francis “Frank” Anonia, 43, of Allentown, was charged last month with multiple counts of invasion of privacy, criminal use of a communication facility and other offenses.
He waived his right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday and is due back in court in January.
Anonia “is going through the judicial process like everyone else.”Richard Coble, Frank Anonia's lawyer
He’s accused of secretly recording a student in 2021 in the boys’ changing room in Parkland High School’s auditorium.
Those recordings were discovered while police investigated allegations that Anonia had inappropriate contact with a member of a school musical in 2022, authorities have said.
Anonia — who was hired by Parkland Area School District in 2007 and named its director of visual and performing arts in 2021 — has not been charged in connection with those allegations.
Anonia was arrested Oct. 15 and arraigned by District Judge Jacob Hammond. He was jailed before posting his $50,000 bail the same day.
The former administrator was in Hammond’s courtroom again Tuesday.
After a 20-minute wait in the lobby, Anonia signed paperwork to waive his hearing and quickly exited the building. Anonia said nothing as he left.
His attorney, Richard Coble, said only that his client “is going through the judicial process like everyone else.”
Anonia’s next hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Jan. 17 in Lehigh County Court.
Intertwined investigations
Parents raised concerns this spring about Anonia’s absence from the school.
Parkland Superintendent Mark Madson then told parents the district was investigating allegations against Anonia, and teachers' union President Sandra Gackenbach said he was placed on leave.
Parkland graduate William Marshall, 29, was convicted in April of possessing child pornography — which authorities say he accessed through the Wi-Fi at Anonia's home in Allentown's West End.Lehigh County court documents
Anonia’s removal from the school came just before 29-year-old William Marshall, a 2013 Parkland graduate who lived with Anonia, was sentenced for a child-pornography conviction.
Marshall was ordered to serve up to 23 months in county prison for possessing child pornography — which authorities say he accessed through the Wi-Fi at Anonia's home in Allentown's West End.
Anonia was not charged in connection with Marshall’s case, but police seized the former administrator’s phone as part of that investigation.
County detectives, after learning of the 2021 allegations, searched Anonia's phone and found several changing-room videos, authorities have said.
The Lehigh County District Attorney's Office said his cellphone was not analyzed because he was not suspected of any criminal behavior related to their investigation into Marshall.
"However, Anonia never requested that his cellphone be returned to him and it remained in the possession of the police," the district attorney's office said in a release.
Anonia also was deposed in mid-April in an unrelated lawsuit that alleges the Parkland School District did nothing to stop a teacher from sexually assaulting students.
Former teacher Christian Willman in January 2020 pleaded guilty in Bucks County Court to abusing six girls — two from Palisades and four from Parkland.
Anonia’s role in that case and details of his deposition have not been made public.
