Mother’s boyfriend rapes Lower Bucks girl: DA

A Falls Township man repeatedly raped the girl over several years while he was dating her mother, authorities said.

June 14, 2024, 4:28 p.m. EDT | Updated June 14, 2024, 4:36 p.m. EDT

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A 33-year-old man was convicted of repeatedly raping a Falls Township girl while he was in a relationship with her mother, authorities said.

Cory Hegelein of Falls Township was found guilty Friday of rape of a child, sexual assault of a minor, unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent touching of a person under 13, indecent touching of a person under 13 and enticement of a minor, the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office said.

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In his closing argument Friday morning, Assistant District Attorney Jovin Jose said Hegelein exploited his access to the victim for years to rape her.

Hegelein had previously had a relationship with the girl’s mother.

On Tuesday, the girl, now 12 years old, testified that Hegelein had repeatedly raped her in different rooms of the apartment and described in detail the atrocities he had inflicted on her.

The investigation began in November 2022 when Falls Township Police received a report that a child had “possibly inappropriate sexual contact with an adult.”

In a forensic interview at the Children’s Advocacy Center that was played in court, the victim, who was 10 at the time, said that Hegelein had raped her several times, most recently a week before the police reported her.

She said she was 8 when he first raped her. The girl also told police that Hegelein showed her pornography on his cell phone.

The victim’s brother, who testified in court, confirmed some of the details. During their investigation, Falls Township detectives executed a search warrant at Hegelein’s residence and seized three cell phones belonging to Hegelein.

Police also seized clothing, towels and bedding from the apartment. Tests at the Pennsylvania State Police crime lab found traces of semen on a red blanket that matched Hegelein.

Tests also found DNA traces on the red blanket that were linked to the victim. Analysis of Hegelein’s cell phones found pornographic documents, including ones he had taken from the house.

Sentencing was postponed for 120 days because Hegelein must undergo a pre-sentence evaluation and an evaluation by the Sex Offender Assessment Board. The trial before Common Pleas Judge Gary B. Gilman began Monday.