HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced Wednesday that a Westmoreland County man has been charged with multiple offenses for allegedly sexually assaulting two children between 1989 and 1997.
Timothy Willochell, 54, faces charges including aggravated indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and corruption of minors, among related offenses. The charges stem from a presentment by the 52nd Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, which has been examining allegations of abuse involving members of Jehovah’s Witnesses congregations across Pennsylvania.
According to the grand jury findings, the first victim testified that they visited Willochell and his family during holiday periods beginning in 1989, when the victim was five years old. During those visits, Willochell allegedly assaulted the child on at least four separate occasions, including incidents in a bathroom and one outside his home. These assaults reportedly continued until 1992.
The second victim told the grand jury that they were assaulted twice under the age of ten, during a summer between 1993 and 1997, at a campsite in Westmoreland County.
Willochell was arraigned Wednesday afternoon, with bail set at $170,000, and he has been ordered to have no contact with minors. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 21.
Attorney General Sunday commended the victims for their courage, stating, “I commend the victims for their bravery in coming forward, and applaud grand jurors who continue to diligently hear testimony as part of a comprehensive investigation of criminal conduct involving members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses community.”
Willochell is the 17th member of Jehovah’s Witnesses to face charges resulting from these statewide investigations since 2022.
The case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Alicia Werner.
All charges are allegations. Timothy Willochell is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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