Ex-Boston Philharmonic adviser pleads guilty to child porn

A former employee at the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, who also worked for the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to possessing child pornography.

David St. George, 75, of Arlington, Massachusetts, was an artistic adviser for the acclaimed orchestra, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins said Thursday. St. George pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 16.

St. George's attorney said Thursday that he had no comment on the case. The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.

Rollins said that St. George was arrested and charged in September 2018, after investigators received information about a shared secure online storage account containing child pornography that was ultimately linked to him. Rollins said the account contained over 5,000 files, including many images depicting child sexual abuse.

St. George's home was searched in 2018 and thousands of files of child pornography were found, including the depiction of sexual assaults of children, Rollins added.

St. George told investigators in 2018 that he was employed by both the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and that the youth orchestra included children ages 12 and older. He denied engaging in any sexual contact with children and denied any sexual interest in children apart from looking at child pornography, according to the complaint.

St. George faces up to 20 years in prison.