Ex-Police Pa. Officer Accused Of Sex With Juvenile Boy

CANONSBURG, Pa. --

A former Fallowfield Township police officer is charged with having sex with a juvenile boy.

Police said Robert Helphenstine, 39, of Washington, Pa., had sex with the boy, who is a runaway from Virginia.

Helphenstine, according to police, was off duty when he picked up a 17-year-old Chesapeake, Va. boy outside the Greyhound bus station in Pittsburgh in March.

According to the police criminal complaint, Helphenstine drove the teen 23 miles to his Canonsburg home where the two had sex.

North Strabane police Detective John Wybranowski said Helphenstine sheltered the runaway for four days, gave him money, a cell phone and computer equipment.

When the boy’s family called Helphenstine to tell him he was harboring a runaway, police said Helphenstine did not take any official police action, something he was sworn to do.

Helphenstine is charged with endangering the welfare of a child and official oppression, among other charges.

He has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Nov. 20.

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