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Two men — including Carbon County police chief — accused of child rape, according to AG Josh Shapiro

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Shapiro today announced the arrests of two Carbon County men for child rape. Weissport Chief of Police Brent Getz, 27, and G...
suspects

HARRISBURG — Attorney General Shapiro today announced the arrests of two Carbon County men for child rape.

Weissport Chief of Police Brent Getz, 27, and Gregory Wagner, 28, both of Lehighton, were charged Tuesday with Rape of Child, Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse with a Child, Aggravated Indecent Assault of Child, and several related charges, Shapiro’s office announced in a press release.

The investigation began in May 2012, when the victim, who was 12 years old at the time, reported to a substitute teacher that Wagner was sexually assaulting her.

Wagner was 22 at the time, according to Shapiro.

The victim’s teacher reported the alleged abuse to the Franklin Township Police Department, which investigated. No charged were filed at the time, Shapiro said.

In 2015, the case was reassigned, and police prepared a criminal complaint charging Wagner with various crimes. The complaint was dismissed by the Magisterial District Judge due to a paperwork error, and the charges were never refiled, Shapiro said.

In August 2018, a Franklin Township Police Officer revisited the case and asked the victim to come back in for an interview. At this time, the victim also disclosed that Brent Getz, who was Wagner’s friend, had sexually assaulted her too, according to Shapiro.

Getz is now the Chief of Police in Weissport, Carbon County, Shapiro said.

The victim revealed that, consistent with her prior disclosures and examinations, from age 4-11 she was orally, vaginally, and anally raped by Wagner. She reported that Getz would also join in these assaults, according to Shapiro.

Additionally, she said that Wagner often made her watch pornography with him, which she recalled depicted teenagers, Shapiro said.

“The defendants terrorized this young victim by assaulting her hundreds of times over seven years,” said Shapiro. “My office will listen to survivors and prosecute anyone who sexually abuses children to the fullest extent of the law we are able—no matter how much time has passed. I’m grateful for the work of my agents to bring these predators to justice and prevent them from harming anyone else.”

Agents executed a search warrant of Wagner’s residence on Tuesday, according to Shapiro. They located numerous electronic devices, including his cell phone, which contained Google searches of terms which are indicative of child pornography, Shapiro said.

Wagner was interviewed and admitted to sexually abusing the victim over the course of several years, Shapiro said. He also admitted that Getz sexually abused the victim and that they would do so together.

The case of Brent Getz was referred to Shapiro’s office by Carbon County District Attorney Jean Engler, because Getz was a police officer employed or formerly employed at several police departments in Carbon County, Shapiro said. The case of Gregory Wagner was also referred to Shaprio. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo.

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