HARRISBURG — Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that a Westmoreland County man is charged with sexually assaulting two children between 1989 and 1997.
The charges are the result of a presentment from the 52nd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury — the latest panel to hear testimony of alleged sexual abuse by members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations in Pennsylvania.
Timothy Willochell, 54, is charged with numerous counts of aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, and related offenses. He was arraigned Wednesday afternoon with bail set at $170,000. He is to have no contact with minors. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 21.
Willochell is the 17th member of the Jehovah’s Witnesses charged by the Office of Attorney General — following grand jury presentments — since 2022.
“This defendant preyed on two children, waiting for opportunities to assault them when they were alone and at their most vulnerable,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I commend the victims for their bravery in coming forward, and applaud grand jurors who continue to diligently hear testimony as part of a comprehensive investigation of criminal conduct involving members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community.”
The first victim testified before the grand jury that they would visit Willochell and his family in Westmoreland County around holidays. The abuse started when the victim was five in 1989 and lasted until 1992. Willochell followed the victim into the bathroom and sexually assaulted the child at least four separate times. The last assault happened outside Willochell’s home.
The second victim stated that they were sexually assaulted by Willochell twice under the age of ten, during a summer between 1993 and 1997. The assaults occurred at a campsite in Westmoreland County.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Alicia Werner. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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