Westford resident John Silva was arraigned on Thursday morning in Lowell District Court on charges of alleged open and gross lewdness.

Silva, 54, allegedly masturbated at the sight of a young girl in a school bus while following in a black pickup truck.

According to reports from the Lowell Police Department, the girl had seen Silva allegedly perform this act multiple times and reported the act to her bus driver and principal, but was able to take a picture of the vehicle during the most recent incident on Nov. 27

With this information, Silva was questioned and eventually arrested by the Lowell Police Family Services Unit.

In the report, it is indicated that Silva is employed by the Lowell School Department as a guidance counselor at Lowell High School.