Media, PA –Today Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland announced that Clifford E. Emarievebe, 43, of Philadelphia, was convicted of sexual abuse charges for repeatedly assaulting a 10-year-old female victim from February until March 2017.
Following a four-day jury trial before Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge Margaret J. Amoroso, Clifford Emarievebe was found guilty of the following charges: two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse involving a child, indecent assault of a child, and endangering the welfare of a child. Sentencing is scheduled for September 13, 2018. The defendant faces up to 80-years in state prison and lifetime Megan’s Law registration.
Assistant District Attorney Ryan Grace prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth. The investigation was led by Officer Melissa Goodman of the Chester Police Department with assistance from child abuse pediatrics specialist Dr. June Elcock-Messam andthe Delaware County Child Advocacy Center, and Delaware County Women Against Rape for victim advocacy and support.
In March 2017, Chester Police Officer Goodman responded to a 911 call for the report of child sexual abuse. During a forensic interview of the 10-year-old female victim, she described being sexually abused at her residence by Clifford Emarievebe, her former stepfather, beginning in February 2017 and continuing until March 2017. Investigation revealed that Emarievebe was frequently at the house while the victim’s mother was at work. During this two-month period, Clifford Emarievebe sexually abused the victim on numerous occasions, each time asking her, “Do you love me?” At one point, Emarievebe made the victim swear on her life that she would not tell anyone about the abuse and said her that if she told anybody about what he was doing to her, they would both go to jail. The victim ultimately decided to disclose the abuse to her mother, which is when the authorities began their investigation.
“There is no act more horrific and appalling than the sexual abuse of an innocent child,” said District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland. “It is especially disturbing when a predator uses their position of trust, as in the case of Clifford Emarievebe, to prey upon a child for sexual gratification. The victim in this case demonstrated incredible courage by coming forward and reporting this predator, providing detailed and accurate testimony during the trial to the horrific things the defendant did to her, ensuring that he could not harm anyone else and was held accountable for his actions. I would also like to commend Assistant District Attorney Ryan Grace for bringing this case to justice, and Chester Police Officer Melissa Goodman for conducting a swift and thorough investigation into these heinous crimes to ensure this sexual predator was not able to cause any more harm this to the victim and the surrounding community.”