LITITZ, Pa. — A Lititz man was recently convicted of charges connected to the repeated sexual assaults of two minors over a three-year span, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.
Shane Ernest Richardson, 55, of the 900 block of Fruitville Pike, was found guilty after a four-day jury trial before Lancaster County Judge David Ashworth, according to the office of District Attorney Heather Adams.
The victims were both less than 16 years of age at the time the sexual assaults occurred, according to prosecutors.
The jury deliberated about four hours before returning its verdict on June 9, prosecutors said.
Manheim Township Police began investigating Richardson when the victims reported the sexual abuse in January 2021.
The victims were living in Richardson's home at the time the abuse occurred, a three-year span between 2008 and 2011.
Richardson was a friend of the family, the victims reported.
The victims were between 13-17 years old when the abuse occurred; the defendant was between 42-44 at the time, prosecutors said.
“This defendant gained the trust of a family by taking [the victims] in and then violated that trust by sexually abusing them," Assistant District Attorney Amy Muller said.
Muller went on to tell the jury that it didn’t need any additional evidence – if it believed the victims, the defendant was guilty.
Manheim Township Police Department Detective Scott Dierwechter filed charges.