HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday has announced charges against a Franklin County man accused of attempting to meet what he believed was a 13-year-old girl for sexual purposes.
According to investigators, 42-year-old Bobby Clarke Rossell was taken into custody last week in Harrisburg after allegedly arranging to meet the minor, who in reality was an undercover agent. Authorities said Rossell had engaged in explicit online conversations with the agent, believing he was speaking to a middle school-aged girl, and then attempted to follow through on meeting in person.
Rossell is facing 12 charges, including ten felony counts such as criminal solicitation and unlawful contact with a minor. He was arraigned and bail was set at $500,000 cash, which was not immediately posted.
Attorney General Sunday said the arrest prevented a potential case of child abuse. “This defendant believed he had found a middle school-aged child via an anonymous chat app, and made every attempt to meet the child for sexual abuse,” Sunday stated. “This could have been another horrific story of child abuse perpetrated online, if not for the great work of law enforcement who proactively caught this predator just in time.”
Authorities allege Rossell used an anonymous chat application that does not require users to create an account with identifiable information. During communications, Rossell is accused of sending nude photographs and making repeated sexual advances, despite being told of the “girl’s” age. Investigators say he also expressed a desire to be her boyfriend.
The case is being prosecuted by the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section. Officials underscore that all criminal charges are allegations, and Rossell, like all defendants, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.