ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A 29-year-old former Parkland Schools student who lived in Performing Arts Director Frank Anonia's home recently was jailed on a charge of possessing child pornography.
William Preston Marshall was sentenced last month to Lehigh County Prison and placed on the state’s Megan’s Law registry of sex offenders.
Marshall’s address in court records is on the 500 block of Berks Street in Allentown — a home owned by Anonia, according to Lehigh County property records.
A neighbor who wished to remain anonymous confirmed that both Marshall and Anonia live at that address. LehighValleyNews.com was not able to confirm the nature of Marshall and Anonia's relationship.
No one answered a reporter's knock on the door Wednesday.
Anonia also was the Verizon subscriber for the IP address to which authorities sought access to search Marshall's phone, which contained photographs and movies of children engaged in sex acts, according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Marshall is a 2013 graduate of Parkland High School, where Anonia has worked since 2007. Anonia first was the high school's choral director, then was promoted in 2021 to the performing arts director for the district.
The school district currently is investigating Anonia, according to an email to parents from Parkland Schools Superintendent Mark Madson.
In the email obtained by LehighValleyNews.com, Madson did not disclose the reason for the investigation other than "allegations involving Mr. Anonia that were brought to the attention of the administration."
It is not clear whether the investigation relates in any way to Marshall's criminal case; Madson told LehighValleyNews.com that he cannot comment on personnel matters.
Allentown police executed a search warrant at Frank Anonia's West End Allentown property on Feb. 23, 2023, and seized William Marshall’s iPhone.Lehigh County Court records
Marshall was involved in Parkland's theater program during his time as a student. As a senior, he won a Freddy Award for his lead role as the title character in the high school's production of "The Phantom of the Opera."
Anonia is the Freddy Awards' coordinator, according to its website. But Executive Producer Shelley Brown said he is on a "leave of absence" and will not be participating in this year's awards.
Marshall recently was a voice teacher at the Community Musical School in Allentown. He was hired in January 2023, according to an announcement on the school's website, but his profile has since been deleted.
The announcement also identified him as "the Artistic Director for a professional chamber vocal ensemble, Interrupted Silence, director for LVHN’s Healing Harmonies, and director for Valley Voices Community Choir."
Charges against Marshall
On April 11, a Lehigh County judge sentenced Marshall to 11 1/2 to 23 months in county prison, followed by three years’ probation.
The investigation began on Jan. 26, 2023, when Allentown police Capt. Thomas Anderson received a CyberTipline Report from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Lehigh County Court.
That tipline report was filed by Snapchat, the affidavit says, and alleges a user with the profile name of h_1229817 and email wmarshalllessons@gmail.com posted an image of child pornography on Dec. 7, 2022.
Allentown police traced the IP address to Anonia's West End property and executed a search warrant on Feb. 23, 2023, and seized Marshall’s iPhone, according to the affidavit.
Police in the affidavit described a Snapchat image they viewed as a pornographic 17-second video showing an approximately 7-year-old boy and an adult male.
Police said a forensic examination of Marshall's phone showed it contained additional photographs and movies of children engaged in sex acts.
Anonia was not charged in the case, and there have not been any cases against him, according to court records.
On March 24, 2023, Marshall was charged with three felonies: dissemination of photo/film of child sex acts, possessing child pornography and criminal use of a communication facility.
Marshall was released that day after posting $1,500 of his $15,000 bail.
Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to a single felony — possessing child pornography — under a negotiated settlement.
He is serving his sentence in Lehigh County Jail, according to court records.
