Delco Jehovah's Witness Sexually Assaulted Teen Girl: AG

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — A Delaware County man is accused of inappropriately touching a 16-year-old girl he knew through this Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.

The AG's office said Errol William Hall, 50, of Aldan, is charged with indecent assault and corruption of minors.

According to authorities, Hall was an elder in the congregation, which helped him gain the trust of many parents and afforded him access to their children.

The investigation into Hall began in 2019 and the alleged incidents occurred in 2014, authorities said.

He is accused of sexually assaulting the victim on three separate occasions, authorities said.

In the first incident, authorities said he pulled the girl into him, sat her on his lap, then touched her breasts while his eyes were closed and he breathed heavily.

For the second incident, Hall is accused of putting the victim's hand on his genitals, and she testified his penis was erect during the contact.

And in the final incident, the victim testified that Hall squeezed her breasts so hard it caused her pain.

The victim reported the incidents to her bible teacher, which led Hall to be disfellowshiped, authorities said.

Records obtained by a Grand Jury overseeing the case showed Hall admitted to fondling the victim's breast, said he "allowed" her to straddle his knee, manipulating her vagina, and that he "allowed" her to touch his genitals, charging documents state.

Hall is one of five members of the Jehovah's Witness faith to be charged by the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office with crimes related to the sexual abuse of children.

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"The details of these crimes are sad and disturbing, facts which are made even more abhorrent because the defendants used their faith communities or their own families to gain access to victims," said Attorney General Michelle Henry. "Our office will never stop working to seek justice for those who have been victimized, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute anyone who harms the most vulnerable in our society."

Anyone with information regarding child sexual abuse should make a report to ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313, and anyone with additional information regarding these cases should make a report to the Office of Attorney General’s hotline at 888-538-8541.