Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland announced that Samuel James Shiels, 18, of the 800 block of Bethel Avenue, Upper Chichester, was convicted of sexual abuse charges including rape of a 15-year-old female victim in May 2017 and sexual assault of a 17-year-old victim in October 2016.
Following a jury trial before Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge Richard M. Cappelli, Samuel Shiels was found guilty of following charges: rape, sexual assault, indecent assault, and invasion of privacy. Sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 2018. The defendant faces up to 7 to 14 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 Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Francis Pawlowski. Lauren Ciatteo of the Delaware County Women Against Rape provided advocacy and support for the victims in this case.
On May 19, 2017, Shiels drove a 15-year-old female and a 17-year-old female, to his grandparent’s residence in Concord Township, which was not occupied at the time.
When they arrived he covered up the security cameras, police said. While in a hot tub, they drank vodka and smoked marijuana, provided by Shiels.
Afterwards, they got changed, and went into the residence. The 15-year-old victim began to fall asleep on the couch and woke up to Shiels kissing her and she asked him to stop. He continued to sexually assault her, and then raped her despite her efforts to stop him.
Investigators later searched the defendant’s cell phone and discovered that the defendant had taken a photo of the 15-year-old victim partially nude behind without her knowledge or consent earlier on the same day that he raped her on May 19, 2017.
In a separate incident, in October 2016, Shiels provided alcohol and then sexually assaulted the 17-year-old female while at his parent’s house located on the 800 block of Bethel Avenue in Upper Chichester.
“In the case of Samuel Shiels, he provided two minors with drugs and alcohol, and in two separate incidents, sexually assaulted the victims while they were vulnerable, intoxicated, and asleep,” Delaware County District Attorney Katayoun M. Copeland told yc.news Friday. “As a sexual predator, he will be held accountable for his actions and is facing lifetime Megan’s Law Registration. Both victims in this case demonstrated incredible courage by coming forward and reporting this predator, who they believed was their friend, providing detailed testimony during the trial, helping us ensure that he will not harm anyone else. I would also like to commend Assistant District Attorney Ryan Grace for bringing this case to justice, Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Francis Pawlowski for his thorough investigation and Lauren Ciatteo of the Delaware County Women Against Rape who provided advocacy and support for the victims in this case.”
