BEDFORD - A Bedford County jury, late Wednesday, convicted a man originally charged with hundreds of counts of sexual assault.
Stephen Weaver was accused of raping two teenagers over the course of several years. He was arrested in June 2011.
Bedford County District Attorney Bill Higgins said jurors found Weaver guilty of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault.
The district attorney posted this to the internet. Some information has been redacted or changed to 'teenager' to protect the victims' identities from indirectly being released.
Bedford, Pennsylvania, December 13, 2012 ... A Bedford Jury deliberated for approximately 6 hours before convicting Stephen Edward Weaver, 54, of Schellsburg, PA, of 24 counts of sexual offenses involving (teenagers). The jury returned their verdict at 11:55 p.m. last evening. The defendant was found guilty of 1 Count of Rape, 1 Count of Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, 1 Count of Aggravated Indecent Assault, and 21 Counts of Indecent Assault. He is now facing up to 92 years in prison..
Testimony presented during the three-day trial established that between the years 2003 and 2005, Stephen Weaver was involved in a sexual relationship with (a teenager). The sexual relationship began when the girl was approximately 16 years old. While Weaver did not deny the sexual relationship, he claimed that it was not only consensual, but that the teenaged girl initiated it.
The Commonwealth's evidence further established that, in 2005, after (the teenager) turned 18 and moved out of the house, Weaver directed his sexual desires to (another teenager). The (teenager) testified that Weaver had touched her genitals, and also had her inappropriately touch him. Weaver did not deny that he touched the girl or that she touched him, but claimed that the touching was done for "medical purposes." He also added that (the teenager) is the one who initiated touching him.
When the allegations were brought to the attention of the State Police, the defendant fortified himself in his Schellsburg home, armed himself with a Glock-45, and hid in a makeshift bunker. The State Police attempted to extract the defendant from the home by setting off "Flash bombs" and introducing a chemical agent (commonly referred to as "teargas") into the home, but the defendant still failed to comply with their demands. He was later found in a hidden closet that he had covered over with paneling. Also, during a search of the home eight firearms and two machetes were found and seized by police.
The defendant's theory, which the jury clearly did not accept, was that the two girls had conspired with (another person) to report these matters to the police so that they could get their hands on some of the defendant's assets, which included nothing more than a 55 inch television and some other household furnishings.
"It is hard to fathom that these two girls would subject themselves to the ordeal of a police investigation, a three-day criminal trial, and several hours of cross examination just to get their hands on the defendant's 55 inch television, but that was the argument presented to the jury. Fortunately, the jury did not accept this ridiculous theory, and Weaver now stands convicted of molesting (the teenagers)," stated District Attorney Bill Higgins.
As a result of the conviction, Weaver will be assessed State Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to determine whether he meets the criteria for a Sexually Violent Predator. Both the Rape and Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse convictions carry a lifetime Megan's Law registration requirement. If the defendant is determined to be a Sexually Violent Predator, upon his release from incarceration, and for the remainder of his life, the law will require community notification to the following: the neighbors of the sexually violent predator, the director of Children and Youth in the county where the predator lives, the superintendent of the school district where the predator lives, every day care center in the municipality where the predator lives, and the President of each college and university located within 1000 feet of the predator's residence.
The Court scheduled sentencing for February 13, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. Unable to post bail since his arrest, the defendant will remain incarcerated at the Bedford County Jail. The defendant also has a pending case where he is charged with 10 counts of Possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction stemming from the discovery of "pipe bombs" in his garage following his arrest on the instant charges. That case will be called for trial in February, 2013.
"These young women should be extremely proud of themselves for standing up to this sexual predator who completely failed them (redacted) and Stephen Weaver should be ashamed of himself for attempting to disparage the character of (the teenagers) rather than accepting responsibility for his own reprehensible behavior. (Redacted) He will have plenty of time to reflect on the damage he has caused (redacted) while he sits in a cold, dark prison cell for many years to come," concluded Higgins.
Stephen Weaver was accused of raping two teenagers over the course of several years. He was arrested in June 2011.
Bedford County District Attorney Bill Higgins said jurors found Weaver guilty of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault.
The district attorney posted this to the internet. Some information has been redacted or changed to 'teenager' to protect the victims' identities from indirectly being released.
Bedford, Pennsylvania, December 13, 2012 ... A Bedford Jury deliberated for approximately 6 hours before convicting Stephen Edward Weaver, 54, of Schellsburg, PA, of 24 counts of sexual offenses involving (teenagers). The jury returned their verdict at 11:55 p.m. last evening. The defendant was found guilty of 1 Count of Rape, 1 Count of Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, 1 Count of Aggravated Indecent Assault, and 21 Counts of Indecent Assault. He is now facing up to 92 years in prison..
Testimony presented during the three-day trial established that between the years 2003 and 2005, Stephen Weaver was involved in a sexual relationship with (a teenager). The sexual relationship began when the girl was approximately 16 years old. While Weaver did not deny the sexual relationship, he claimed that it was not only consensual, but that the teenaged girl initiated it.
The Commonwealth's evidence further established that, in 2005, after (the teenager) turned 18 and moved out of the house, Weaver directed his sexual desires to (another teenager). The (teenager) testified that Weaver had touched her genitals, and also had her inappropriately touch him. Weaver did not deny that he touched the girl or that she touched him, but claimed that the touching was done for "medical purposes." He also added that (the teenager) is the one who initiated touching him.
When the allegations were brought to the attention of the State Police, the defendant fortified himself in his Schellsburg home, armed himself with a Glock-45, and hid in a makeshift bunker. The State Police attempted to extract the defendant from the home by setting off "Flash bombs" and introducing a chemical agent (commonly referred to as "teargas") into the home, but the defendant still failed to comply with their demands. He was later found in a hidden closet that he had covered over with paneling. Also, during a search of the home eight firearms and two machetes were found and seized by police.
The defendant's theory, which the jury clearly did not accept, was that the two girls had conspired with (another person) to report these matters to the police so that they could get their hands on some of the defendant's assets, which included nothing more than a 55 inch television and some other household furnishings.
"It is hard to fathom that these two girls would subject themselves to the ordeal of a police investigation, a three-day criminal trial, and several hours of cross examination just to get their hands on the defendant's 55 inch television, but that was the argument presented to the jury. Fortunately, the jury did not accept this ridiculous theory, and Weaver now stands convicted of molesting (the teenagers)," stated District Attorney Bill Higgins.
As a result of the conviction, Weaver will be assessed State Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to determine whether he meets the criteria for a Sexually Violent Predator. Both the Rape and Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse convictions carry a lifetime Megan's Law registration requirement. If the defendant is determined to be a Sexually Violent Predator, upon his release from incarceration, and for the remainder of his life, the law will require community notification to the following: the neighbors of the sexually violent predator, the director of Children and Youth in the county where the predator lives, the superintendent of the school district where the predator lives, every day care center in the municipality where the predator lives, and the President of each college and university located within 1000 feet of the predator's residence.
The Court scheduled sentencing for February 13, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. Unable to post bail since his arrest, the defendant will remain incarcerated at the Bedford County Jail. The defendant also has a pending case where he is charged with 10 counts of Possession of Weapons of Mass Destruction stemming from the discovery of "pipe bombs" in his garage following his arrest on the instant charges. That case will be called for trial in February, 2013.
"These young women should be extremely proud of themselves for standing up to this sexual predator who completely failed them (redacted) and Stephen Weaver should be ashamed of himself for attempting to disparage the character of (the teenagers) rather than accepting responsibility for his own reprehensible behavior. (Redacted) He will have plenty of time to reflect on the damage he has caused (redacted) while he sits in a cold, dark prison cell for many years to come," concluded Higgins.
