Police: Ashland man, member of Megan's Law registry, abuses teenager

ASHLAND – An Ashland man is in Schuylkill County Jail on suspicion of raping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl who is believed to be a close blood relative.

John Robert Shutt Jr., 47, of 1817 Market Street, was arraigned Friday on 15 felony counts dating back to November.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Ashland Police Chief Gerard Daley and Schuylkill County Detective Thomas Robin, Ashland police were notified by North Schuylkill school officials on May 14 of a report of a sexual assault.

A 15-year-old girl said Shutt had been assaulting her for several months.

She had received inappropriate messages that morning. The girl was then taken to the Schuylkill County Department of Children and Youth Services for emergency care.

Police obtained a search warrant for Shutt’s phone and stopped him in Cass Township. Ashland police then seized the phone.

He was questioned at the Ashland Police Department that afternoon, waived his Miranda rights and admitted to sending the inappropriate messages. He claimed it was an accident and denied all other charges.

According to the criminal complaint, one of the messages read: “Wake up and take off your clothes because (redacted) wants to see you completely naked now.”

On June 13, the girl was interviewed at the UPMC Child Advocacy Center in Dauphin County. Robin was present for the interview.

She told authorities that Shutt’s inappropriate behavior began in November 2023. He began asking her “if she was thinking inappropriately about him,” and said that “it was not wrong for her to think that way about him.”

Shutt also told the girl that he would masturbate at the thought of her.

The actions escalated to light, inappropriate touching – “light little touches” and him running his hand over her legs and bottom.

Shutt, police said, also asked her to take photos of her private areas and send them to him. He also asked her to film herself playing with said areas.

The acts escalated further and progressed to oral sex followed by photography and traditional sex.

Shutt asked him to delete the messages sent between the two, and she eventually confided in a friend.

Shutt is charged with rape, forcible deviant sexual intercourse, sexual assault, criminal use of a communication facility, corruption of minors, incest of minors and child pornography, as well as exhibitionism and sexual assault of minors.

He was arraigned on Friday and remanded to the Schuylkill County Jail after failing to post $300,000 bail.

The incest charge requires a close blood relationship between the accused and the victim, defined as an ancestor or descendant, full or half sibling, or full aunt, uncle, niece or nephew.

To protect the girl’s identity, the police did not want to provide any further details about the relationship.

Shutt has been registered with Megan’s Law for life since being convicted of aggravated sexual assault in 2005.