Bradford County DA Chad Salsman Charged in Sex Abuse Case

 

Per the NYT, Bradford County District Attorney Chad Salsman has been accused of preying upon women in desperate legal situations, including at least two rape survivors.

State District Attorney Josh Shapiro brought these charges based on the accounts of five women, though he said his office heard from many more whose cases were not able to be prosecuted.

The Times reports:

The women were targeted because they needed help with child custody cases or criminal charges, prosecutors said. Some had struggled with drug use or were survivors of sexual abuse.

But once Chad M. Salsman had guided the women into his private law office, ostensibly to discuss their cases, he forced them onto his desk and sexually assaulted them, prosecutors said. He then told the women not to tell anyone what had happened.

Mr. Salsman, who was a practicing defense lawyer at the time, went on to win election as the district attorney of Bradford County, Pa., in 2019.

But his pattern of predatory behavior was not publicly known until he was arrested on Wednesday and charged with more than a dozen crimes, including sexual assault, indecent assault and intimidation of a witness or victim, prosecutors said. 

According to paperwork filed by the PA State DA's office, the charges include:

• Sexual Assault (3124.1) - involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with three victims
• Intimidation of Witnesses or Victims (4952(a)(1))
• Intimidation of Witnesses or Victims (4952(a)(3))
• Promoting Prostitution (5902(b)(3))
• Promoting Prostitution (5902(b)(8))
• Obstructing Administration of Law or Other Governmental Function (5101)
• Indecent Assault (3126(a)(1))
• Intimidation of Witnesses or Victims (4952(a)(1))
• Intimidation of Witnesses or Victims (4952(a)(4))
• Intimidation of Witnesses or Victims (4952(a)(5))

The report goes on to provide descriptions of his crimes:

Innocent, etc.