WEST CHESTER, PA — On Friday, a jury convicted Shawn Taylor, 42, from Sterling, Virginia, of statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with minors, aggravated indecent assault, and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse for unlawful sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl. He will be sentenced at a later date.
“This defendant knew or should have known that the victim, in this case, was under 16, and yet he still pursued her for sex. All the warning signs were there but he chose to ignore them. In PA it is unlawful to have sex with a child under the age of 16 if you are four or more years older,” said Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan. The defendant lied about his age, and he lied to police because he knew that his actions were unlawful. We thank Trooper Adam McCormack of the Pennsylvania State Police, the Chester County Detectives, and our prosecutors for continuing to bring justice to victims.”
Senior Deputy District Attorney Erin O’Brien presented evidence at trial that on January 16, 2021, at approximately 1:25 a.m., the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) responded to a residence in West Broadford Township, for a report of a missing juvenile. Troopers later received information that a 15-year-old female was observed walking down the street with a male between the age of 30-40 years old who was seen carrying a ladder. They were later observed getting into a black SUV together. When police found the defendant and victim, they seized his cellphone and the ladder he had in his possession. The victim was transported by her family to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Troopers discovered that the rear of the defendant’s vehicle had been turned into a makeshift bed.
During the investigation, troopers viewed stored emails on the victim’s school computer which contained communications between the victim and defendant. The two met online on the website Omegle and the defendant told the victim he was 27 years old. The victim told him that she was 19 years old. Later, the defendant learned that she had to sneak out of the house to meet him because she lived with her parents, and he brought a ladder to help her escape. The victim admitted to three separate incidents involving sexual intercourse with the defendant in his car at various locations in Chester County beginning in early September 2020, when the victim was 15 years old.
Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan commended the Chester County Detectives and the Pennsylvania State Police Troop J Embreeville for the investigation leading to a successful prosecution. Senior Deputy District Attorney Erin O’Brien is the assigned prosecutor.
Call Childline at 1-800-932-0313 if you suspect a child is being abused.
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