A church youth leader is in prison, charged with raping a girl.
Charlton United Methodist Church leaders say Joshua Markelwitz is no longer a youth leader there, but they can't say when he stopped working at the church.
Police say as recently as last month, he was texting the girl asking for nude pictures.
The 15-year-old girl came forward in august claiming Markelwitz had sexually assaulted her several times over a roughly two year span, beginning when she was twelve-years-old.
Marklewitz was a youth leader for Charlton United Methodist Church in Lower Paxton Township, he's now 26-years-old.
The girl told police Marklewitz raped her and assaulted her in the church, at her home, and in his car.
He taught guitar through the church, and would drive her home several times a week.
Gerald Wolgemuth is the Communications Director for Susquehanna United Methodist Conference , he says the church has a strict safe sanctuary policy that says members should never be left alone with a child. "Our people are trained to abide by that policy, expect to abide, and watch every minute that would be impossible but we do expect adherence to that policy."
Marklewitz is in Dauphin County Prison, but his church family leaders say it's not the time to sit in judgement of him. "We are concerned for everybody impacted by accused, and the accuser , and we don't want to harm anybody with conjecture, we feel very strongly about that."
Charlton United Methodist Church leaders say Joshua Markelwitz is no longer a youth leader there, but they can't say when he stopped working at the church.
Police say as recently as last month, he was texting the girl asking for nude pictures.
The 15-year-old girl came forward in august claiming Markelwitz had sexually assaulted her several times over a roughly two year span, beginning when she was twelve-years-old.
Marklewitz was a youth leader for Charlton United Methodist Church in Lower Paxton Township, he's now 26-years-old.
The girl told police Marklewitz raped her and assaulted her in the church, at her home, and in his car.
He taught guitar through the church, and would drive her home several times a week.
Gerald Wolgemuth is the Communications Director for Susquehanna United Methodist Conference , he says the church has a strict safe sanctuary policy that says members should never be left alone with a child. "Our people are trained to abide by that policy, expect to abide, and watch every minute that would be impossible but we do expect adherence to that policy."
Marklewitz is in Dauphin County Prison, but his church family leaders say it's not the time to sit in judgement of him. "We are concerned for everybody impacted by accused, and the accuser , and we don't want to harm anybody with conjecture, we feel very strongly about that."