LANCASTER, Pa. — A Lancaster County man will stand trial for rape of a child, child pornography and related charges after agreeing to a stipulated preliminary hearing Tuesday afternoon, prosecutors said this week.
Eric Dorwart, 54, of Manheim Township, was charged in January with photographing, filming, depicting a computer sex act with a child under 18; possessing child pornography; rape of a child; involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child; and aggravated indecent assault of a child.
Two charges of unlawful contact with a minor were also added by prosecuting Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick during the hearing Tuesday.
Dorwart was previously charged in October 2023 for a 1997 cold case sexual assault outside of the victims’ home in Gordonville, Leacock Township, prosecutors said. He was charged with sexually assaulting a 7-year-old and 5-year-old victim.
DNA evidence was collected in 1997 and the suspect containing that DNA profile was charged in 2002, prosecutors said. From 2002 through 2022, the suspect’s DNA profile yielded negative results when periodically checked in CODIS.
Investigators eventually identified Dorwart as a suspect and removed trash from the front of his residence that was left at the end of the driveway for street pickup on May 8, 2023. Pennsylvania State Police investigators swabbed items recovered from the trash for DNA and on July 17, 2023, a review from the forensic DNA laboratory showed the DNA profile obtained from the trash matched the DNA saved as evidence from the sexual assault in 1997, confirming Dorwart as the suspect, prosecutors said.
Dorwart waived his preliminary hearing Oct. 17, 2023, on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 13, indecent assault of a person less than 15, and two counts of corruption of minors and is facing those charges in Lancaster County Court. Dorwart posted $25,000 unsecured bail on the cold-case charges.
The additional charges were filed when investigators executed a search warrant at Dorwart’s home and found electronic devices containing child pornography and apparent videos of Dorwart participating in the assaults with infants, prosecutors claim.
A subsequent search warrant on a seized iPhone yielded approximately 464 images of fetish material with 61 images consistent with child pornography involving infant and toddler-aged victims, prosecutors said.
Search warrants executed on the laptops indicated there were 1,672 images consistent with child pornography and associated erotica, according to prosecutors. Of those images, 167 were identified as Dorwart engaged in sexual contact with at least three separate prepubescent children, prosecutors said.
Investigators were prepared to present this evidence during the preliminary hearing Tuesday before defense counsel and Dorwart stipulated, which is a formal legal acknowledgment and agreement made between opposing parties before a pending hearing or trial, according to prosecutors.
Pennsylvania State Police continues to investigate to identify the victims who were discovered to be infants that the Dorwart family possibly babysat, prosecutors said.
Anyone with information who can assist in identifying the victims and any additional potential victims can contact Pennsylvania State Police Troopers Dakota Baer or Brian McNally at 717-299-7650.
Dorwart is free after posting $250,000 bail. Haverstick asked Magisterial District Judge Courtney Monson to set a condition where the defendant is required to have no contact with individuals under the age of 18, which was granted.
Dorwart will be formally arraigned at 9 a.m. on March 8, according to prosecutors.
