Attorney General Michelle Henry has announced that Robert David Fenton, a former youth pastor from Bradford County, has pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated indecent assault and statutory sexual assault. The plea was entered on Thursday, with sentencing scheduled for a later date.
Fenton, who served as a youth pastor at Abide in the Vine church, committed the offenses between 1996 and 1998. The victim was 14 years old when the abuse began. Fenton fled to Australia before charges were filed but was apprehended while entering the Philippines in April 2024.
"This trusted mentor figure used religion to get close to, and exploit, this child for his own sexual gratification," stated Attorney General Henry. "Investigators went to great lengths — literally — to bring this defendant to justice for deviate crimes he committed decades ago."
The investigation revealed that Fenton approached the victim's parents claiming he had a divine vision that he and the child were meant to be married. This led to an agreement among Fenton, the victim's parents, and church officials for a betrothal between him and the child, after which he sexually assaulted the minor.
Fenton will undergo an evaluation by Pennsylvania's Sexual Offenders Assessment Board as part of his legal proceedings. Deputy Attorney General Rachael Coleman prosecuted the case.