Find Your Daily Voice
North Wales
Your Local News for North Wales, Pennsylvania
Thursday, feb 27
46°
Follow
News
Schools
Business
Obituaries
Police & Fire
Weather
Lifestyle
Politics
Sports
Traffic
Real Estate
Tags
Jobs
Shop
Support Us
North Wales
Follow
Find Your Daily Voice
News
Schools
Business
Obituaries
Police & Fire
Weather
Lifestyle
Politics
Sports
Traffic
Real Estate
Tags
Jobs
Shop
Support Us
Home
About us
All sites
Advertise with us
Contact us
Terms of use
Privacy policy
Code of ethics
Site Map
© 2025 Cantata Media
46°
Thursday, feb 27
Tag:
Sexual Assault
News
Man Who Sexually Abused Young Girl For Years In PA Learns Prison Fate
A Pennsylvania man was given a lengthy prison sentence after pleading no content to raping a juvenile for years, authorities announced. Ivan Maldonado Jr., 36, was sentenced to a term of between 7 and 25 years in state prison after pleading earlier this month to nearly two dozen offenses, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office. Specifically, Maldonado pleaded no contest to offenses including rape of a child, unlawful contact with a minor, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and other charges. Prosecutors say that the plea means Maldonado accepted&…
News
PA Girl Repeatedly Raped; Family Threatened, Beaten By, Florida Man
A Florida man who violently raped a young girl for years in Lancaster County and threatened to kill her family if she spoke out will spend up to 80 years in Pennsylvania state prison, prosecutors announced. Ricardo Vilorio-Hernandez, 56, of Tampa, was sentenced to 40 to 80 years in prison on Tuesday, Feb. 18, by Lancaster County Judge Thomas Sponaugle, who called his crimes “horrible” and said he “deserves a long sentence.” The judge also classified him as a sexually violent predator. A jury convicted Vilorio-Hernandez on Oct. 17, 2024, of 13 charges, including rape of a child, forcible rap…
News
Piano Students Assaulted By Teacher, Bucks County DA Says
A Bucks County piano instructor is accused of sexually assaulting four of his young male students under the guise of “warmups” during their private lessons, authorities announced. Timothy James Shay, 49, of Plumstead Township, was arrested and arraigned on Friday, Feb. 14, on four counts each of indecent assault of a child under 13 and corruption of minors. Magisterial District Judge John T. Galloway set his bail at $1 million, 10 percent, and he was sent to the Bucks County Correctional Facility. The assaults happened between 1998 and 2003 while Shay was giving lessons in Langhorne, Middle…
News
NJ Man Posed As Religious Solicitor To Meet ‘13-Year-Old’ In PA: Police
A New Jersey man who used the KIK app to groom what he believed to be a 13-year-old Pennsylvania girl was caught in a police sting when he arrived at her home dressed as a religious solicitor, authorities announced on Thursday, Feb. 20. Oscar Castillo-Peralta, 53, of Pleasantville, NJ, began chatting with the decoy account on KIK on Jan. 30, according to Bensalem police. The conversation quickly turned sexual, and Castillo-Peralta sent nude photos of himself while describing explicit acts he wanted to perform with the teen, investigators said. Over the next few weeks, he moved the con…
News
PA Therapist Accused Of Assaulting Children During Playdates, Therapy Session: Police
A Gettysburg therapist has been charged with multiple counts of indecent assault and corruption of minors after allegedly sexually assaulting three young girls during playdates and a therapy session, as detailed in court documents obtained by Daily Voice on Thursday, Feb, 20. David C. Mitchell, 55, is accused of inappropriately touching a 5-year-old, a 7-year-old, and a 9-year-old in separate incidents spanning several months in 2024, according to Cumberland Township Police. **WARNING THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE DISTURBING** The first alleged assault occurred at Mitchell's residence on…
News
PA Optician Accused Of Offering Free Glasses For Sex: Police
A Delaware County optician is facing a slew of serious charges, including rape, sexual assault, and false imprisonment, after allegedly offering free eyeglasses in exchange for sex, authorities said. Brian Thomas Steiner, 40, of Glenolden, was arrested following an investigation into allegations that he solicited sex from customers at Philly Vision Care in Folcroft, according to court documents. Police say Steiner admitted to engaging in or receiving sexual acts inside the business at least 30 times in exchange for waiving co-pays and fees. He has been charged with felony rape, involuntary…
News
PA Carnival Boss Who Secretly Preyed On Kids Sentenced: Court Docs
A Pennsylvania carnival operator who ran games at local fairs while hiding his dark past as a convicted child predator has been sentenced to 15 years behind bars, court records reveal. Richard Lee Ridley, 54, of Penn Township, pleaded guilty to felony indecent assault of a child under 13 and felony corruption of minors, Cumberland County court documents show. Judge Jessica E. Brewbaker handed Ridley a 10-to-20-year prison term for violating Megan’s Law by failing to report his employment, plus an additional 5-to-10 years for sexually assaulting a young girl between 2018 and 2022, the record…
News
Life In Prison Could Be Avoided For Ex-Harrisburg Concertmaster In Child Rape Case: DA
The 58-year-old former Harrisburg Symphony concertmaster is facing life behind bars for the abhorrent rape of a child that lasted over a decade. But on Thursday, Feb. 13, authorities told Daily Voice that Odon J. Rathnam has been offered a plea deal that could spare him of that. As previously reported by Daily Voice on July 25, 2024, Rathnam was charged with multiple felonies, including rape of a child and aggravated indecent assault. The victim, who came forward at 22, accused him of abusing her from age six to 17, causing severe physical injuries, according to an affidavit by D…
News
Church Deposes Montco Coffeehouse Co-Owner’s Father As Son Faces 95 Child Sex Abuse Charges
A Pennsylvania church has removed a deacon from ministry after he self-disclosed inappropriate behavior toward his son more than 30 years ago—while that son awaits trial on 95 child sex abuse charges, officials announced. Rt. Rev. Julian Dobbs, bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word, said Tuesday, Feb. 4, that Phillip J. Shade was deposed from ordained ministry following a canonical investigation. Shade had served as a deacon and assistant to the bishop at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Souderton. Anglican Diocese Responds to Self-Disclosure Dobbs received information on Feb. 4 a…
News
PA Teen Raped Restrained, Strangled, Found In Basement: DA
A teenage girl was raped, restrained, and strangled in a basement by two men in Slatington, according to Lehigh County authorities. Tristan Richard Zawick, 22, of Whitehall, and Jacquan Tanasse, 18, of Slatington, have been charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and criminal conspiracy to commit rape, officials announced on Saturday, Feb. 8. Slatington police were called to a home in the 200 block of Walnut Street just before 7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, where officers found the victim in the basement, prosecutors said. She told investigators that Zawick and Tanasse raped h…
Police & Fire
Welfare Check Reveals 6-Year-Old Girl's Sexual Assault, PA State Police Say
A sexual assault involving a 6-year-old Allentown girl is under investigation after a child welfare report revealed the alleged abuse, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. The assault reportedly occurred in 2023, but authorities only recently began investigating the case after receiving a report concerning the child in North Whitehall Township. Troopers began their investigation on Dec. 30, 2024, according to the release. Details about the suspect and circumstances surrounding the case have not yet been disclosed as the investigation continues.
Police & Fire
Sibling Sexually Assaults 11-Year-Old Brother, PA State Police Say
A Pennsylvania boy has reported being sexually assaulted by a sibling, prompting an investigation by state police, officials announced on Monday, Feb. 3, 2025. The assault occurred at a home on Uffers Road in Coopersburg and was reported earlier this year, authorities said. After conducting an investigation starting on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2024, Pennsylvania State Police closed the case and filed charges against the sibling. Further details about the case, including the suspect's name, have not been disclosed.
News
Guilty
! Secret Recordings Made By PA Youth Baseball President Working In Military
A former Pennsylvania youth baseball president and ex-Marine who worked in a classified government role has been convicted of sexually assaulting three people and secretly recording two others, Attorney General Dave Sunday announced on Thursday, Jan. 30. Justin Travis Biser, 45, of Waynesboro, was found guilty of 65 offenses, including felony sexual assault, felony indecent assault, felony child pornography, and felony invasion of privacy following a three-day trial in Franklin County. Biser used his position in the Waynesboro Youth Baseball League to groom victims, prosecutors said. His cr…
News
4-Year-Old Abused By Jehovah's Witness Gets Justice: PA AG
A Jehovah’s Witness member from Philadelphia who sexually assaulted a 4-year-old child has been sentenced to up to four years in prison, Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Friday, Jan. 31. David Balosa, 62, was convicted in September 2024 of aggravated indecent assault and related charges after a Philadelphia County jury found he used his position in a Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation to befriend a family and later abuse their child in 1998. On Friday, a judge sentenced Balosa to two to four years in state prison, followed by six years of probation. He will also be required…
News
Rapist ‘Took My Childhood Away From Me,’ Now 13-Year-Old Victim Says At Sentencing: Bucks DA
A Bristol Township man will likely spend the rest of his life in prison for repeatedly raping a young girl over the course of three years, Bucks County authorities announced on Thursday, Jan. 30. Carlos Navedo, 52, was sentenced to 35 to 70 years in a state correctional facility after being convicted in October of rape of a child, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of minors, prosecutors said. Navedo began raping the girl in January 2021 when she was just 9 years old and continu…
News
German Man Who Lied About Age, Made Fake ID To Assault PA Teen Sentenced
A German man who created a fake ID and lied about his age to have sex with a 15-year-old Pennsylvania girl will spend up to a decade in prison, officials announced. Erik Weidling, 21, of Enger, Germany, was sentenced to four and a half to 10 years in state prison after pleading guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors, and criminal use of a communication facility, Lancaster County prosecutors said. Weidling met the girl online and flew to Pennsylvania in February 2024, staying…
News
PA Youth Pastor Who Called Victim 'Child Bride' Caught In Philippines, Pleads Guilty
A former youth pastor from Bradford County who fled halfway around the world has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a child decades ago in a bizarre 'child bride' situation, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Saturday, Jan. 18. Robert David Fenton, 55, admitted to aggravated indecent assault and statutory sexual assault in connection with the abuse, which occurred while he was serving as a youth pastor at Abide in the Vine church between 1996 and 1998, starting when the victim was just 14 years old, according to the attorney general. “This trusted mentor figure use…
News
Jehovah's Witness Sexually Abused Family Member Under 7 Years Old: PA AG (
Update
)
A former Jehovah’s Witness from Butler County has been convicted of sexually assaulting a young family member over several years, beginning when the victim was just seven, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced Friday, Jan. 17. Shaun Sheffer, 45, was found guilty this week of multiple charges, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, and corruption of minors, according to the AG's Office. The assaults took place between 1995 and 2000, during which Sheffer had a close relationship with the victim. Authorities said the abuse began wh…
News
Infamous 'So I Raped You' Pennsylvania Fugitive Caught In France, Denied Bail
A Gettysburg man extradited from France to face sexual assault charges was denied bail on Friday, Jan. 17, according to court documents. Ian Thomas Cleary, 31, was charged with Felony Sexual Assault stemming from an incident that allegedly occurred on Dec. 15, 2013, according to a criminal docket filed by the Gettysburg Borough Police Department. Cleary was extradited from France and considered a significant flight risk, leading to the denial of bail by Magisterial District Judge Tony J. Little, as noted in the court records. According to the docket, "Defendant extradited from France. Consi…
Police & Fire
Teacher From PA Had Baby With Student She Sexually Assaulted For Years: Report
A 34-year-old Cape May County, NJ elementary school teacher was arrested and charged with having a sexual relationship with a student living in her home, with whom she shares a child with, according to police paperwork obtained by Daily Voice. UPDATE: New Details Emerge In Case Of Teacher Impregnated By 13-Year-Old Former Student Laura Caron, a fifth grade teacher at Middle Township Elementary School, had a relationship with the student, who was born in 2005, Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland and Chief Michael Emmer in conjunction with Chief Tracey Super, of the Middle Township …
Police & Fire
Bodycam Footage Released Of Officer-Involved Maryland Motel Standoff With Wanted PA Fugitive
The Frederick County Sheriff's Office has released bodycam footage of the officer-involved shooting of a wanted Pennsylvania fugitive during a barricade situation at a Maryland motel last summer. Shortly before midnight on Aug. 1, 2024, deputies from the Frederick County Police Department and Sheriff's Office were called to the Super 8 motel on Monocacy Boulevard, where they were tipped off about a fugitive wanted out of Beaver County who was believed to be in the area. This video is a presentation intended to inform the public of details as we currently understand them related to a de…
News
Sexual
Servitude
: Pennsylvania Officers Raped, Assaulted Same Victim For Years, DA Says
An Allentown police officer and a former vice officer have been charged with rape and related offenses spanning several years, Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announced on Friday, Jan. 10. Evan Weaver, 45, of Weisenberg, and Jason Michael Krasley, 47, of Upper Milford Township, are accused of sexually assaulting the same victim between 2011 and 2015, authorities said. The pair face felony charges of Rape and Involuntary Sexual Servitude, as well as Misdemeanor Indecent Assault, Official Oppression, Prostitution, and Related Offenses, according to the DA. Weaver, a current A…
Police & Fire
Woman Assaulted At Mental Health Home: PA State Police
A woman was assaulted at a mental health home in Middletown Township, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. Troopers were called to the home on Elwyn Road at 7:27 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, where a 24-year-old woman from Ardmore reported that a man suspect had threatened her and forced her to perform a sexual act, police stated in the release. The victim was given immediate medical care following the incident, investigators said. The investigation remains ongoing, and no further details have been released at this time.
Police & Fire
KidsPeace Facility Under Investigation After Assault, Harassment Allegations: PA State Police
Two incidents involving teenage girls at the KidsPeace facility in North Whitehall Township, Lehigh County, have led to investigations by Pennsylvania State Police in Bethlehem announced on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025. The first incident was reported on Friday, June 28, 2024. A 14-year-old girl from Douglassville alleged that she was harassed with physical contact by another client, according to police. The details of the harassment remain under investigation. Months later, on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, a separate and more severe allegation emerged. A 13-year-old girl from Kearneysville, West Virgi…
Police & Fire
NY Teen Raped In PA; State Police Investigating
A 16-year-old girl from New Rochelle, New York, was raped in Mercersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, according to a Pennsylvania State Police release on Monday, Jan. 6. The assault took place between Jan. 1 and Nov. 4, 2024, along Academy Drive in Mercersburg Borough, state police said. The Chambersburg Crime Unit launched an investigation after receiving a CY-104 referral involving the teen victim and an unnamed suspect, police said. No further details, including the identity of the suspect or the circumstances of the assault, have been released as the investigation is ongoing, police…
News
PA 12-Year-Old Girl Assaulted For Years: Affidavit
A Newberry Township man is accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old girl multiple times over several years, police announced on Tuesday, Dec. 31. Steven Allan Smith, 41, is charged with sexually assaulting a girl, identified as A.H., at a residence on Conewago Avenue, according to an affidavit filed by Detective Jonathan Taylor of Newberry Township Police. **WARNING THE FOLLOWING DETAILS ARE DISTURBING** A.H. disclosed during a forensic interview at the York County Child Advocacy Center that the abuse began when she was 10 or 11 years old. She reported that Smith would enter her room la…
News
Former State College Psychologist Groomed, Sexually Assaulted Girl For Years: AG
A former State College-area psychologist groomed and sexually assaulted a young girl over an eight-year period, Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry announced on Thursday, Dec. 19. Richard Lenhart, 63, of Bellefonte, used his position of trust to target the victim, sexually abusing her between 2005 and 2013 in the State College area, according to the Attorney General's office. The victim testified during the trial that Lenhart began grooming her at a young age before subjecting her to repeated acts of sexual assault, including rape and indecent assault, the release states. Lenhart …
Police & Fire
Teen Groomed, Assaulted At Berkshire Mall By Sinking Spring Man: Police
A Sinking Spring man is accused of grooming and sexually assaulting a juvenile girl at a novelty store inside the Berkshire Mall, Wyomissing police announced on Tuesday, Dec. 17. Steven P. Najarian was arrested after an extensive investigation into unlawful sexual encounters involving a juvenile female, authorities said. Police determined that Najarian groomed the victim before the alleged assaults at the store located at 1665 State Hill Road in Wyomissing. Wyomissing detectives believe there may be additional victims who have not yet come forward, according to the release. "The Wyomissing…
News
Nurse Charged With Criminal Sexual Contact Of Patients At Penn Medicine
An Ewing man working as a nurse at Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center is accused of inappropriately touching several patients, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Plainsboro Police Chief Eamon Blanchard announced on Monday, Dec. 11. Andre Angus, 39, was arrested following an investigation into multiple reports from patients alleging they were subjected to unwanted sexual contact while under his care, authorities said. The incidents were reported by patients who claimed the male nurse inappropriately touched them during their time at the Plainsboro-based medical center, Cic…
Police & Fire
Registered Sex Offender Who Trafficked Three Children From Philly To NJ Sentenced, Feds Say
A Camden man will spend more than 21 years in prison for sex trafficking three children, authorities said. Semaj Gilmore, 35, was sentenced on Thursday, Dec. 5 to 21 years and eight months in federal prison, New Jersey's U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said in a news release. He previously pleaded guilty to three counts of sex trafficking minors. Gilmore has been in custody since April 2021, when authorities discovered a missing Pennsylvania child was being advertised for sexual services on a website frequently used for prostitution. An undercover federal agent contacted …
News
Maryland Man Caught Soliciting PATeen On Snapchat: New Court Docs
A Maryland man accused of using Snapchat to solicit and exploit a 15-year-old York County girl is now facing trafficking and sexual assault charges, according to newly obtained court documents. Brady Alexander Knatz, 26, of Hampstead, allegedly initiated sexually explicit conversations with the teen, identified as S.C., in September 2024 using the username "scooby_snacs," police said. Despite learning her age, Knatz continued requesting explicit photos and describing graphic sexual acts, investigators allege. The communications were discovered by S.C.'s mother on Oct. 1, 2024, prompting the …
Next Page
Archive
46°
