Underage Girl Knew Him Because He Was a School Crossing Guard. Now He's Accused of Raping Her

A Pennsylvania crossing guard was arrested on charges of allegedly raping a 15-year-old girl who offered to help him with his chores. 

The charges against Ronald Richard Rossman, 73, came after a month-long investigation by police. They began their investigation after the victim alleged that Rossman forced her to have sex with him when the two were in his garage, the Altoona Mirror reported.

On Aug. 20, 2024, police were dispatched to a local hospital on a report of a past sexual assault of a 15-year-old-girl, the outlet reported. Police then talked with the girl who said that she knew Rossman, a local crossing guard, because they were neighbors. 

The teenager had difficulty understanding the officers’ questions because she has developmental delays, ABC 27 reported, citing a criminal complaint. The 15-year-old told officers that on July 23, she saw Rossman outside and stopped to ask if she could help him with any of his chores. 

According to the criminal complaint, the teen alleged that Rossman then took her into his garage and locked the door behind him. The outlet reported that Rossman then forced himself on the 15-year-old and raped her in the bed of his truck parked inside. She told police that she tried to kick him away but couldn’t. 

Per the outlet, who obtained the affidavit, police learned that this happened multiple times, with the most recent incident being Aug 12. 2024. Investigators alleged Rossman even made the teenager take a pregnancy test, which she then sent to her mother — leading her to find out what was happening. 

Rossman told investigators that the 15-year-old would often stop by and do chores like weeding his yard. According to the Altoona Mirror, who cited the criminal complaint, Rossman further explained that the two would “play around and smack each other’s butts.”

Police said they found various items in the garage that the teenager told them about, such as lotions, alcohol, a small bowl with suspected burnt marijuana and what they suspected to be a marijuana joint, per the outlet. 

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According to court records obtained by PEOPLE, Rossman was arraigned Wednesday before Magisterial District Judge Benjamin F. Jones on various counts of rape and sexual assault.

He was released from custody after posting a $250,000 bond, court documents showed. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 28. 

If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.