A row of red metal lockers lines a school hallway next to a closed wooden door.
PITTSBURGH – The McKeesport Area School District faces a lawsuit over a 2024 scandal that included a security guard sleeping with a student and led to its superintendent resigning.
The plaintiff, known as R.B. in a lawsuit filed last week in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, says staffers at McKeesport High School were notified that he was being sexually abused by Alexis Brown yet failed to report it.
Brown, who was employed by Homeland Intelligence and Protective Services, pleaded guilty to corruption of minors. Workers at the school were punished after an investigation showed as many as five employees knew what was happening, and Tia Wanzo resigned as superintendent before the 2024-2025 school year.
“Brown used her position of trust and authority at McKeesport Area High School to repeatedly sexually assault R.B. and her power went unchecked by Defendant McKeesport,” the suit says.
“Both Defendant McKeesport and Defendant Homeland had actual knowledge of the sexual abuse but failed to prevent it.”
Brown and other Homeland employees allegedly made bets on which students they could have sex with. She chose R.B., the suit says, and contacted him though Facebook.
They began texting and after being told about the bet, R.B. met Brown at her apartment and had sex. That happened around 15 times in Spring 2023, the suit says, and in return, R.B. enjoyed privileges like roaming the halls instead of going to class and being allowed to break school rules.
A fellow student discovered the sexual relationship and reported it to Principal Dale McCall, the suit alleges. Another security guard who was unsuccessful in seducing R.B. reported Brown’s actions to both Homeland and McKeesport’s school district, it adds.
Brown was transferred at the beginning of the 23-24 school year. In November 2023, the abuse was reported – months after it had been disclosed, the suit says. Brown was arrested on Jan. 8, 2024.
R.B. alleges post-traumatic stress disorder and mental anguish, among other things. Homeland and McKeesport are alleged to have been negligent in the hiring and supervision of Brown, and the suit also makes a claim for civil conspiracy.
“Prior to and following the assaults by Brown, Defendants McKeesport, its employees, agents and contractors acted with a common purpose to commit the tort of sexual assault and then cover it up,” the suit says.
Justin Joseph of Chaffin Luhana represents R.B.
