REYNOLDSVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for a Reynoldsville man accused of raping a teen.
According to court documents, 25-year-old Derrick James McLeod, of Reynoldsville, is scheduled to stand for a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge David B. Inzana at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 24, on the following charges:
– Rape Forcible Compulsion, Felony 1
– Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse Forcible Compulsion, Felony 1
– Unlawful Contact With Minor – Sexual Offenses, Felony 1
– Sexual Assault, Felony 2
– Corruption Of Minors – Defendant Age 18 or Above, Felony 3
– Indecent Assault Forcible Compulsion, Misdemeanor 1
– Indecent Assault-W/O Consent Of Other, Misdemeanor 2
The charges stem from an incident that occurred on Mabel Street, in Reynoldsville Borough, sometime between Saturday, May 4, and Sunday, May 5, involving McLeod.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Tammy Murray, of the Reynoldsville Borough Police Department, on May 15, she received a childline alleging that Derrick McLeod raped a known 16-year-old girl.
The victim reported that on Saturday, May 4, 2019, she was at McLeod’s residence in Reynoldsville with his two minor children and other family and friends. The victim stated that she stayed overnight at McLeod’s house to help with the children because he had been consuming alcohol most of the day. She stated that McLeod consumed approximately 11 cans of beer during the day, according to the complaint.
The victim reported that during the night McLeod raped her. She gave explicit details regarding the incident. She said that she kept telling McLeod “No,” but he would not stop and that he held her down by her wrists, causing bruises, the complaint indicates.
The victim said that she stayed up all night to make sure McLeod did not try to hurt the children, and on the following morning, she texted her parents to come to pick her up. On the evening of May 5, the victim told her mother about the rape, the complaint states.
Sergeant Murray interviewed the victim’s mother, and she confirmed there were bruises on the victim’s wrists on the night of May 5. The mother reported that she wanted to take the victim to the emergency room right away and call the police, but “the victim refused to go and did not want the police involved because she feared what it would do to the family,” according to the complaint.
The sister of the victim also observed the bruises, the complaint states.
On May 26, during an interview with McLeod, McLeod admitted to consuming alcohol throughout the day and taking two Benadryl to help him sleep. Sergeant Murray reported that at first, McLeod said he could not remember what happened after putting the children to bed that evening. After he was told that it was reported he had raped the victim, “(he) was asked if it was possible it happened, and he said he just doesn’t remember it. McLeod said obviously anything is possible,” according to the complaint.
As the interview continued, McLeod’s story changed, according to Sergeant Murray.
Sergeant Murray asked McLeod if “it was safe to say at this point, he does not know what happened.”
McLeod said: “Yes, that is safe to say.”
Murray asked McLeod again: “Is it possible it could have happened?”
He responded: “Anything could have happened.”
Later on, during the same interview, McLeod did admit to having sexual intercourse with the victim but said he woke up to her on top of him, according to the complaint.
The complaint states that McLeod was aware that the victim was 16 years old at the time of the incident.
A preliminary arraignment was held at 5:15 p.m. on June 28 in Magisterial District Judge Douglas Robert Chambers’ office.
Unable to post $75,000.00 (10%) monetary bail, McLeod was lodged in the Jefferson County Jail on July 3.
He was released on Tuesday, July 9, on a 10% cash security posted by a private surety.
EDITOR’S NOTE 1: Extreme graphic details were not included due to the sexual nature of the alleged crime.
EDITOR’S NOTE 2: Several details were removed from this article to help protect the identity of the victim.
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