Police in Pennsylvania have arrested a former corrections officer and charged him with sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl, WJAC reported Friday.
In late January, the victim told authorities in Blair County that she had allegedly been in a “sexual relationship” with John Mollica, a 24-year-old corrections officer at the Blair County Prison, according to WJAC.
The victim reportedly told police that over many months she and Mollica had sex “a lot,” WJAC reported. (RELATED: Former New Jersey Tennis Instructor Convicted Of Sexual Abuse Against 12-Year-Old Student)
A former corrections officer is behind bars following an investigation into allegations that he had sexually abused a teenage girl, Blair County, Pennsylvania authorities say.https://t.co/JQYraS8tru
— FOX26 News (@KMPHFOX26) February 10, 2024
During the “relationship” Mollica allegedly sent numerous messages, one in particular that reportedly said, “I’m obsessed with you and I’m willing to kill for you,” according to the outlet.
Some messages reportedly contained Mollica’s concern about “pregnancy” and his methamphetamine use, while another police said is from late December, allegedly detailed how the victim was “afraid” that a family member had found out about their relationship, WJAC reported.
Regarding the claim that they had been found out, Mollica reportedly said, “so you mean I might be going to jail?”
Later, Mollica reportedly told the victim to delete the messages, according to WJAC.
WJAC reported authorities saying that Mollica denied the accusations, and that he thought the girl was only 11 years old.
“There is no such thing in this Commonwealth as a ‘consenting sexual relationship’ between an adult and a child,” Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith said. “Adults who like to have sex with children do not get to do so even if they convince the child they’re in ‘love.’ When someone perverts a child into believing she is in a ‘consensual’ adult relationship, we will enforce the law that makes clear such manipulation is a crime.”
Mollica, who was arrested Friday and held at the Blair County Prison on $100,000 bail, faces an array of charges, including multiple counts of statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, witness intimidation and evidence tampering, WJAC reported.