A Gilpin Township police officer was suspended without pay and subsequently resigned after he was charged with corruption of a minor in Greensburg.
William Andrew Rapone II, 22, of the 200 block of Longfellow Street in Vandergrift, was charged by Greensburg police on Aug. 3 with misdemeanor counts of corruption of a minor and harassment.
He faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge Chris Flanigan on Oct. 6.
“Our policy is that upon learning that an officer is under criminal investigation, they are immediately placed on suspension,” Gilpin police Chief Chris Fabec said. “I can confirm that this has happened.”
Fabec said he could not make any additional comment because it is a personnel matter.
Charles Stull, who serves as chairman of Gilpin’s board of supervisors and is the police commissioner, said he was unable to comment beyond noting that Rapone “is not employed by Gilpin Township.”
Greensburg police said a 16-year-old and the teen’s father came to the police station May 10 to report an incident involving the child and Rapone, according to a criminal complaint.
The child told investigators that Rapone touched them inappropriately while attending Rapone’s 21st birthday party in May 2021, the complaint said.
Rapone was hired full time in February and was suspended from the department at the beginning of August, the chief said.
The child said they felt uncomfortable and upset by what happened but “too nervous and afraid” to tell their parents about the incident, the complaint said.
Rapone also is accused of sending the child photographs of himself shirtless while he was in the shower along with suggestive messages on social media, according to the complaint.
Rapone’s lawyer, Duke George, said he has not had a chance to conduct an in-depth interview with his client and did not know details about the case beyond what police have alleged in his arrest papers.
“He’s a really good guy. He really is,” George said. “I’m going to do everything I can to defend Mr. Rapone.”
