State Revives Rape Case Against Ex-Montogomery County GOP Chairman

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

State prosecutors have filed rape charges against former Montgomery County Republican Party chairman Robert Kerns, reviving a case that collapsed when county investigators misread lab test results from the woman who accused him of assaulting her last fall.

Kerns was expected to surrender Friday, according to the office of Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

The announcement comes about six weeks after Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman abruptly dropped all 19 charges against Kerns, including felony counts of raping an unconscious victim and raping a substantially impaired person.

Through his lawyer, Kerns, 66, of North Wales, had previously denied any wrongdoing. The lawyer, Brian McMonagle, could not immediately be reached for comment Friday morning.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140425_State_revives_rape_case_against_ex-Montco_GOP_chairman.html#HdB6fTEkDxXXBVvt.99

These Are America’s 10 Most Dangerous Small Cities

If you’re hoping to escape from big city crime, look elsewhere. These places actually defy the stereotype of smaller cities being safer.

When you see small towns on TV and in movies, they’re almost always idyllic places where the American dream is thriving and neighbors all know each other. That, and unless you’re watching a whodunnit, no one’s ever the victim of a crime.

In reality, small cities are surprisingly similar to all the others, meaning that there are good ones and bad. While the Movoto Real Estate Blog has been writing lately about America’s safest places, we thought we’d switch gears today and look the small cities where crime is a real concern.

After studying more than 200 small cities, we’ve concluded that Wilmington, DE is the most dangerous in terms of crime. It’s joined in this dubious honor by nine other places to comprise our 10 most dangerous small cities in America:

1. Wilmington, DE
2. Canton, OH
3. Jackson, TN
4. Rocky Mount, NC
5. North Little Rock, AR
6. Pensacola, FL
7. Daytona Beach, FL
8. Homestead, FL
8. Lauderhill, FL
10. Warner Robins, GA

Read more: http://www.movoto.com/blog/top-ten/dangerous-small-cities/

Man Charged With Raping Teen Girl In Sherman Hills

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WILKES-BARRE, PA — City police arrested a man they say raped a 14-year-old girl inside an apartment at Sherman Hills last year.

Maurice Anthony Porter, 26, of Elizabeth Street, Dallas, was arraigned today by District Judge Martin Kane on six counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, three counts each of aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault, and one count each of rape, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault and corruption of minors. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $200,000 bail.

Read more: http://timesleader.com/news/local-news/1145679/Man-charged-with-raping-teen-girl-in-Sherman-Hills

Steubenville Principal Pledges Community Service For Dismissal In Rape Case

Map of Ohio (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — A school principal charged with failure to report suspected child abuse in the wake of two Steubenville rape investigations won’t be prosecuted if she does community service work.

Ohio prosecutors on Wednesday agreed to drop the misdemeanor charge against Lynnett Gorman, principal of West Elementary School in Steubenville, by June 1 if she complies.

Ms. Gorman, one of five adults indicted in the aftermath of the rape convictions of high school football players Ma’Lik Richmond and Trent Mays, was set to go to trial Wednesday.

The Ohio attorney general’s office said she failed to report suspected child abuse in regard to the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl by a group of baseball players in April 2012, four months before the Richmond and Mays case.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/region/2014/01/08/Steubenville-principal-pledges-community-service-for-dismissal-in-rape-case/stories/2014010801180000000#ixzz2pughCy8X

Superintendent, 3 Others Charged In Fallout From Steubenville Rape Case

Map of Ohio (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

STEUBENVILLE, OH — A school superintendent and three others face charges in the Steubenville teen rape case that has drawn national attention, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said Monday.

“It’s about holding adults accountable, that’s what this is about,” said DeWine during a news conference at Steubenville’s Eastern Gateway Community College.

Those charged include Steubenville Superintendent Michael McVey, who faces felony counts of tampering and obstruction and other charges.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/5142198-74/steubenville-charged-rape#ixzz2lgeGjQnG
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

Police: Rockview Inmate Alone With Woman For 27 Minutes During Sexual Assault

Counties constituting the Happy Valley Region of Pennsylvania (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A former Rockview state prison inmate charged Thursday with the brutal sexual assault of a female employee was alone with the woman for 27 minutes, despite the fact that she sounded her emergency whistle, police say.

Omar Best, 36, faces multiple felony counts, including rape and aggravated assault, stemming from the July 25 assault. He is accused of raping the woman and choking her unconscious.

Charging documents filed Thursday by state police revealed new details about the assault.

Police said Best was able to get the woman alone by walking into a clerical area where she was working. She blew a whistle to signify she was in danger when Best approached her, but no help came, police said.

Read more here:  http://www.centredaily.com/2013/10/10/3831816/inmate-charged-with-july-rape.html#storylink=cpy

Man Charged In Kidnapping, Rape Of Woman In Bethlehem Held On $2.5 Million Bail

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Northampton County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Police said Steven Kitchell kept a 21-year-old woman locked inside a third-floor bedroom of a home at 826 Montclair Ave. where she was beaten, sexually assaulted and given heroin, according to court records.

On June 15, the woman was able to escape after she said Kitchell left a key ring behind, authorities say.  When Kitchell left the house, the woman was able to use the key to unlock the door and fled.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-bethlehem-kidnap-rape-hearing-20130719,0,1237238.story#ixzz2ZVDMNbei
Follow us: @mcall on Twitter | mcall.lv on Facebook

Birdsboro Man Pleads Guilty To Attempted Murder, Sex Assault, Attempting To Hire Hit Man

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

READING — The Berks County man accused of shooting a Limerick fire official in the head, sexually assaulting a minor and attempting to hire a hit man from jail to eliminate witnesses plead guilty to all charges against him on Wednesday.

Christopher Yingling, 43, of Birdsboro, received no special agreements in exchange for his guilty pleas and will spend the next 27 to 70 years in jail for his crimes, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s office.

“Given the brazenness of his crimes and the harm that he caused his victims, we are pleased with what is effectively a life sentence for the defendant,” said Berks County Assstant District Attorney Jesse Leisawitz in a statement late Wednesday night.

Berks County Common Pleas Court Judge Stephen B. Lieberman was scheduled to preside over Yingling’s trial.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130530/NEWS01/130529129/birdsboro-man-pleads-guilty-to-attempted-murder-sex-assault-attempting-to-hire-hit-man#full_story

Pottstown Police Looking For Rape Suspect; Asking For Help

The Pottstown Police Department are looking for this man in connection with an aggravated assault and rape. He is described as a 5 feet 7 inch tall African-American male, who weighs 170 pounds with light brown or hazel eyes. He is in his late 20s or early 30s. If anyone recognizes this suspect, they are urged to call either Det. Mark Wickersham or Det. Heather Long at 610-970-6570.

Two Teenage Girls Face Charges For Threats After Steubenville Rape Trial

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — Two teens accused of sending threatening messages on social media following the Steubenville rape trial will appear in court on the charges later this month.

Steubenville police were notified about the posts, both on Twitter, and on Monday arrested the 16-year-old girl, a relative of Ma’lik Richmond. The 15-year-old turned herself in the same day, Jefferson County Sheriff Fred Abdalla said.

Ma’lik and another Steubenville High School football player, Trent Mays, were found guilty Sunday of raping a 16-year-old girl after a drunken party in August.

The girls appeared at a detention preceding this morning in Jefferson County Juvenile Court. They are charged with intimidation of a victim, a felony, aggravated menacing and telecommunications harassment, both misdemeanors.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/breaking/two-teenage-girls-face-charges-for-threats-after-steubenville-rape-trial-679963/#ixzz2O18PJ1dA

2 Ohio HS Football Players Convicted Of Raping Drunken Girl; Charges Against Others Possible

Map of Ohio (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

STEUBENVILLE, Ohio — Two members of Steubenville’s celebrated high school football team were found guilty Sunday of raping a drunken 16-year-old girl, and Ohio’s attorney general warned the case isn’t over, saying he is investigating whether coaches, parents and other students broke the law, too.

Trent Mays, 17, and Ma’Lik Richmond, 16, were sentenced to at least a year in juvenile prison in a case that has rocked this Rust Belt city of 18,000 and led to allegations of a cover-up to protect the Steubenville High team, which has won nine state championships. Mays was ordered to serve an additional year for photographing the underage girl naked.

They can be held until they turn 21.

The two broke down in tears after a Juvenile Court judge delivered his verdict. They later apologized to the victim and the community, Richmond struggling to speak through his sobs.

Read more:  http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/rape-trial-of-2-ohio-high-school-football-players-ends-judge-to-announce-verdict-sunday/2013/03/16/1b282264-8e9b-11e2-adca-74ab31da3399_story.html

City Of Reading Shootings Fall, Other Violent Crimes Up In 2012

A 1947 topographic map of the Reading, Pennsylvania area. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Violent crime – especially murders – edged up in Reading last year, Police Chief William M. Heim told City Council on Wednesday.

In 2012, he said, murders rose 25 percent from 2011.

Still, Heim said, the city has nowhere near the crime levels it did in 2004 when it reported 1,116 incidents of violent crime.  The 2012 statistics showed 828 incidents.

And the number of people shot also dropped, to 57 last year from 65 in 2011. The high was 109 people shot in 2002.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=445626

Norristown Makes FBI’s 100 Most Dangerous Cities List

Location of Norristown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Our research reveals the 100 most dangerous cities in America with 25,000 or more people, based on the number of violent crimes per 1,000 residents. Violent crimes include murder, forcible rape, armed robbery, and aggravated assault.  Data used for this research are 1) the number of violent crimes reported to the FBI to have occurred in each city, and 2) the population of each city. See our FAQ on how we rank the most dangerous cities

Norristown ranked number 68

Other Pennsylvania cities on list list include:

Philadelphia at number 50

Harrisburg at number 30

Chester at number 19

York at number 18

Nearby New Jersey cities:  Camden was number 2, Atlantic City was number 7, and Trenton was number 29

To see the entire list, click here:   http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/neighborhoods/crime-rates/top100dangerous/

More Contradictory Revelations From Penn State

This case just gets weirder and weirder.

Jerry Sandusky breaks his silence to proclaim his innocence but admits he had a lapse in judgement showering with kids (no duh Jerry).  This revelation in light of the fact that two eyewitnesses claim they saw Sandusky having sex with young boys in 2000 and 2002. 

There is an email supposedly floating around, penned by Mike McQueary, in which McQueary states he did not run away, he “stopped it” and “did the right thing”.  So did Mike see “horseplay” and “towel snapping” as Jerry puts it OR did Mike see something else.  I don’t think sodomy falls under horseplay.

One has to wonder when we will get to the truth in all of this.  Right now it seems like a great deal of posturing with a heapin’ helpin’ of CYA thrown in for good measure.

2010 Crime Stats Released For Berks County And Reading

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The 2010 crime statistics for Berks County and the City of Reading have been released.  The stats show a drop in violent crime but a rise in property crimes (probably due in part to the recession).  The city and county also showed a decrease in the overall number of crimes reported.

The report is a mixed bag of news as violent crime is on the rise in Berks county but decreasing in the City of Reading.  To read the article from the Reading Eagle, click here: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=336977

Camden New Jersey Falls To Second Place On FBI’s Most Dangerous Cities List

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St. Louis, MO replaces Camden, NJ as America’s most dangerous city in 2010 according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).  The ranking is based on murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, and motor vehicle theft.

Other cities in the top 25 include Detroit, MI (3),  Oakland, CA (5), Compton, CA (8), New Orleans, LA (13), Washington, DC (22) and Atlanta, GA (25).  No Pennsylvania cities were included in the top 25.