October 25, 2007

Attorney General Corbett & PA State Police announces arrest of Marysville police officer charged with sex crimes involving numerous teenage girls

HARRISBURG - Pennsylvania State Police today filed criminal charges against a Marysville Borough, Perry County, police officer accused of misusing his position of authority by having illegal sexual contact with teenage girls, or soliciting sex from teens in exchange for not filing criminal charges.

Attorney General Corbett identified the defendant as Robert J. Pavlovich, Jr., 39, 3920 Gettysburg Road, Camp Hill. 

Corbett said the case was referred to the Attorney General's Public Corruption Unit by the Perry County District Attorney's office. Evidence and testimony was presented before a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the criminal charges that were filed today against Pavlovich.

According to the grand jury, while serving as a police officer for Marysville Borough, Pavlovich approached 14 different young girls with solicitations that were either overtly or implicitly sexual, or proposed that the girls engage in other illegal conduct - including the underage consumption of alcohol. 

Corbett said the grand jury found that Pavlovich engaged in oral sexual intercourse with one young woman who had a mental disability that made her incapable of consenting to sexual contact. 

The grand jury also determined that Pavlovich had indecent contact with three minors, including one who was under the age of 13, and found that Pavlovich contacted two other minors for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.

Additionally, Corbett said the grand jury found that Pavlovich solicited sex from two other minors in exchange for favorable consideration involving possible criminal charges involving the girls, or their friends or relatives, in direct violation of his sworn duty as a police officer.

"Police officers are a living symbol of law and order -- with a sworn duty to protect and serve our citizens, including our children," Corbett said. "No child should ever be victimized in this manner, and there is no room in any community for a sexual predator disguised as a police officer."
 
Corbett said the investigation by the Attorney General's Public Corruption Unit started after Pennsylvania State Police began receiving complaints that a uniformed Marysville Borough police officer was approaching young girls with sexual proposals, or touching girls inappropriately.

During the course of the investigation, Corbett said the grand jury heard testimony from more than 20 juveniles from the Marysville area, along with parents and investigators from the Pennsylvania State Police.

Additionally, the grand jury reviewed records from the Marysville Police Department's computer system, indicating contact between Pavlovich and numerous young women using the MySpace social networking website.

Pavlovich is charged with the one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and one count of unlawful contact with a minor, both first-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and a $25,000 fine.

Pavlovich is also charged with one count of sexual assault, a second-degree felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a $25,000 fine, along with two counts of bribery in official matters, one count of indecent assault and one count of unlawful contact with a minor, a third-degree felonies each punishable by up to seven years in prison and a $15,000 fine.

Additionally, Pavlovich is charged with 14 counts of the corruption of minors, all first-degree misdemeanors punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine, and three counts of indecent assault, a second-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Corbett noted that Pavlovich was suspended without pay from his position with the Marysville Police Department on March 5, 2007.

The criminal charges were filed today before Duncannon Magisterial District Judge Daniel R. L. McGuire. 

Pavlovich will be prosecuted in Perry County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jonelle Harter Eshbach, of the Attorney General's Public Corruption Unit.

Corbett thanked the Pennsylvania State Police for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty.)

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