A 33 year-old step father was found guilty of repeatedly raping his step daughter by a Bucks County Jury Friday
Cory Hegelein, of Morrisville, Falls Township was found guilty of rape of a child, statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault on a person less than 13 years old, indecent assault on a person less than 13 years of age, and corruption of minors.
According to Falls Police last November they attended an interview with the victim and a child advocate organization with regards to the possibility of inappropriate sexual contact with an adult. In the interview the child victim disclosed the week before, November 18 and had been raped again by her stepfather, Hegelein as recent a week prior. The suspect, according to police was 10 and the suspect 31 at the time of the interview.
The victim told police that on some days she stays with her mother and the suspect in their Lower Makefield home. Police ran the mother and suspects name through a state database for address and identification purposes, court records show and they were able to confirm the addresses of both as 1 Makefield Road.
According to court records, the victim told police Hegelein calls her into his room and sticks it in. This has happened more than once the 10 year-old victim told police and as most recently as the week before.
In his closing arguments Friday morning, Deputy District Attorney Jovin Jose said Hegelein used his access to the victim to rape her for years. Hegelein had previously been in a relationship with the girl’s mother.
While most girls her age were enjoying the end of the school year, Jose said, the victim was in court testifying about the worst moments of her life. On Tuesday, the young girl, now 12, bravely testified about Hegelein repeatedly raping her in different rooms in the apartment, describing in detail the horrors he inflicted.
“This is the second time this week I have had the privilege of commending the strength of a young victim who faced the predator who preyed upon her,” District Attorney Jennifer Schorn said. “Thanks to her strength, and the outstanding work done by the prosecutorial team, this defendant stands convicted of these heinous crimes.”
Police interviewed the little girls brother who was able to confirm his sister’s movements and added that Hegelein would call out to the victim “come in her so we can snuggle.” Additionally police were able to find out the alleged rapes have been happening for at least two years prior to when the victim was 8 years old. Moreover investigators also confirmed the child’s mother works overnight and was not present during the alleged rapes, court records show.
The victim, according to the criminal complaint, told police of other instances where she was allegedly raped. One being while she was taking a shower, and after he penetrated her a white she saw a white substance come out and was wiped off with a red towel. She additionally alleged he stepfather showed her pornographic images on his digital devices.
Police executed a search warrant locating, clothing, towels and other items she was wearing during and after the alleged rapes. Those items were submitted for biologic testing by police to the Pennsylvania State Police lab, court records show.
Police were able to match DNA taken from the blanket matched Hegelein ‘s DNA and the victims profile.
Police were also granted a search warrant to download Hegelein ‘s cell phones On it they found pornographic images and a video a what appeared to be a man masturbating in a room with what appears to be the same computer desk and black box, with red lettering as the one in his home.
The trial before Common Pleas Judge Gary B. Gilman began Monday. Sentencing was deferred for 120 days as Hegelein undergoes a pre-sentence evaluation and an evaluation by the Sex Offender Assessment Board.
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