Man Charged With Raping Hatboro Woman He Met On Dating App: Police

HATBORO, PA —A Warminster man has been charged with the rape of a Hatboro woman he met on a dating app, police said.

Tony C. Linn, 37, of the first block of Elwood Avenue in Warminster has been charged with rape, sexual assault, and indecent assault following an incident at a 38-year-old Hatboro woman’s residence on Dec. 13, Hatboro Police Chief James E. Gardner announced Friday.

Linn and the victim had recently met on a dating application, the chief said.

On Dec. 13, Linn went to the victim’s residence under the premise of providing the victim a ride to work. It was while Linn was at the victim’s residence that he allegedly forcibly raped her, police said.

Linn provided a false name to the victim and claimed to be a police officer from Montgomery County.

During the ensuing investigation, Hatboro detectives utilized facial recognition technology and other investigative methods that ultimately led to discovering the true identity of the defendant.

It was also determined that Linn falsely claimed to be a police officer.

Linn surrendered himself to the Hatboro Police on Thursday, December 22, 2022. Pursuant to procedures set forth under Montgomery County’s Pretrial Services Program, Linn was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Elizabeth McHugh-Casey.

While cash bail was requested, bail was set at $250,000 unsecured with conditions that the defendant surrender firearms to the police and refrain from contact with the victim.

A preliminary hearing was scheduled for Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. before Magisterial District Judge Paul N. Leo in Hatboro, the chief said.