Canon McMillan High School teacher accused of having sexual relationship with student in classroom

CANONSBURG, Pa. — Only Channel 11 was in court when a Canon-McMillan High School teacher was brought out in handcuffs and put in the back of a police cruiser, charged with institutional sexual assault. 

48-year-old Justin White turned himself in Tuesday, with his lawyer by his side. He kept his head down and didn’t say a word.  

Court documents say the investigation began when a dad was concerned about what he was seeing on his daughter’s phone and called the police.  

White is also a former golf coach. A post on Facebook that has since been taken down, thanks him for his dedication to his students and student-athletes. That picture shows White with his wife and three children. 

Police say through their investigation, they learned the alleged relationship began in October of 2023, but didn’t become sexual until the victim, a then senior at Canon-Mac High School, turned 18. 

Police say that once she was 18, white would give her gifts, including a necklace and a second phone where they could talk without getting caught. 

Investigators say White would take the victim to different secluded places, including a park and ride, industrial facility and soccer fields to have sex, adding some of those alleged sex acts happened in white’s classroom on Sundays. 

Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh said White abused his power.

“It’s horrific, he’s in a position of trust, Mr. Walsh said.  “He’s supposed to be protecting children and not violating that trust - 18 or under - he’s a teacher.”   

Walsh says there is so much evidence leading to the charge of institutional sexual assault, including more than 8,000 messages on the victim’s phones in the course of four months and more than 14,000 emails sent between the two, including some on the school district email server.  Police say they were never able to find White’s cell phone.

White’s bond was set at $150,000.  He was ordered to have no contact with the victim or the Canon-McMillan school district.

Canon-McMillan School District Superintendent, Greg Taranto, sent the following email to the school community: 

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