In an empty classroom, with puppets, a pendant and an iPad or computer recording the scene, police say an elementary school teacher sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl and engaged in "grooming behavior" with four other girls.

James William Mentzer, 39, of Hummelstown, was charged Thursday with single counts each of institutional sexual assault, indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor and five counts of corruption of minors.

The investigation began in February when police received several reports of suspected child abuse in February, including a report from Gary Messinger, principal at East Hanover Elementary School, in the Lower Dauphin School District. The victims in the incidents, police say, are a 9-year-old girl, an 8-year-old girl and three 11-year-olds girls.

This account was provided in an affidavit filed by state police Trooper Shawn Barry in support of the charges:

The girls were each interviewed by specialist from the Dauphin County Children's Resource Center, and each described incidents, some as far back as the 2016-17 school year, when Mentzer brought each of them into his classroom, sometimes by telling other school staff he was working on a project with them. They were alone in his classroom, they said, when he had the read passages about "communities" and "cities."

Several of the girls said Mentzer appeared to record these readings with his computer or an iPad. During these readings, the girls said they were told to say things like "I will obey you, master" and "I will obey your commands, master."

One girl told authorities that while she was reading, Mentzer began to rub her leg, then rubbed other areas of her body, mostly over her clothes but also on her arm under her short sleeve. She said she asked him to stop, pushed his hand away, and tried to move away from him, but he continued to rub her while trying to distract her by telling her to look at objects in the room, such as a snowflake or a rock.

In each incident, the girls were given a puppet which they were told to use while reading with Mentzer, who sometimes also had a puppet. Most girls described the puppet as a pig, but one girl said it was a pink cat. Mentzer used a giraffe puppet, the girls told authorities.

Three of the girls said Mentzer used a necklace during the incidents, described as a red string with a gold or silver pendant. They said he held the necklace in front of them, telling them to follow the necklace with their eyes. One girl said she was given a crown to wear and a wand.

Several of the girls were instructed to return to class right after the incident, but one girl said she was ordered to go behind the cubby area of the classroom until Mentzer told her to come back out. It was a little while before Mentzer told her he was finished, and she returned to class.

Principal Messinger told investigators on Feb. 19, that two parents came to him with concerns of the inappropriate conduct by Mentzer. The behavior described to him included having the children pulled into classrooms where they were told to recite an "oath."

Messinger told police he confronted Mentzer about the behaviors. He said Mentzer admitted to being alone with students in his classroom with the door shut, and to having the students call him "master."

Mentzer referred to the conduct as a part of his "master plan," Messinger said. He did not give any videos to Messigner, saying the recordings did not work.

Court documents filed by police do not indicate whether such recordings were found.

Mentzer was placed on administrative leave in February when the allegations were made, said a statement from the Lower Dauphin School District. He has been an elementary school teacher with Lower Dauphin since 2003.

The district said it "immediately contacted appropriate legal authorities" when the allegations against Mentzer became known in February.

Mentzer remains on leave pending the outcome of legal proceedings, says the district. Depending on the outcome of those proceedings, the district said it "will take appropriate actions to address his employment with the district, up to and including termination as may be required by law."

Mentzer was arraigned Thursday at the Dauphin County judicial center, and is being held at Dauphin County Prison on $75,000 bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 12.

State police are asking anyone with information on other possible victims to call state police at 717-671-7500.