North Huntingdon man who drove school buses accused of sharing nude pics with teen

A North Huntingdon man who worked as a bus driver and was a police chaplain is accused of exchanging nude photos with a student he drove to school in an effort to groom the 17-year-old Duquesne boy, police said.

Michael F. Singer, 57, told police he shared sexually explicit photos with the boy, who police did not name, according to a criminal complaint. The boy was attending Westinghouse Arts Academy Charter School in Wilmerding at the time the messages were shared.

But, Singer said he wasn’t aware the user of the Grindr app he was messaging was the boy from his school-bus route.

Police said phone records told a different tale.

Singer has sent the boy several sexually explicit messages, as well as nude photographs of himself and his husband, the complaint said.

Police said Singer also sent at least three sexually explicit images to the boy through Grindr, a location-based social networking and online dating app often used by gay, bisexual and transgender people. The boy listed his first name, which police said has “a unique spelling,” on his account.

The boy asked Singer if he could share images with the bus driver, police said. He then shared at least five of them.

“We have to get together,” Singer replied.

“Can I get dropped off last?” the boy asked, referring to Singer being his school bus driver.

The boy’s mother learned about the interactions and handed the teen’s cell phone to Duquesne police on Aug. 31, along with written consent to search the device, the complaint said.

Sun Coachlines, which is based in McKeesport and sometimes called PA Coachlines, told police that Singer is an employee there, the complaint said. The company on Tuesday declined to comment to TribLive.

Singer also served nominally as a police chaplain with the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police but has not been actively involved with the bureau in several years, Cruz said.

After Duquesne police on Friday filed charges against Singer, Pittsburgh police banned him from accessing their facilities beyond what would be afforded to any member of the public, Cruz said.

“He is no longer affiliated with the Pittsburgh Police chaplains’ program,” she added.

Singer was arrested on 11 criminal charges, including unlawful contact with a minor, possession of child pornography, and disseminating explicit material to minors.

He was arraigned Saturday and taken to the Allegheny County Jail, court records show. He posted $25,000 bond and was released the same day. His preliminary hearing is Sept. 17.

Singer’s attorney was not listed in court records.

A phone number the victim’s mother said belongs to Singer was disconnected Tuesday.