Glen Mills man blames mental breakdown for molesting teen

MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A 50-year-old Glen Mills man was sentenced to 11½ to 23 months in the county prison in Concord Monday after pleading guilty to one count of corruption of minors.

Patrick Lavelle was also ordered to serve four years of consecutive probation and register as a sex offender for 15 years under the negotiated plea worked out by Assistant District Attorney Alan Borowsky and defense counsel Leo Pall.

According to an affidavit of probable cause filed by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Brian Maturo, a 17-year-old boy from Texas had escaped the Glen Mills School June 16. The juvenile committed two armed robberies at the Wawa at 36 Baltimore Pike on June 16 and 17, and was apprehended June 19, according to the affidavit.

While in custody, investigators said the boy told them Lavelle found him sleeping in a tractor next to the Wawa and took him to his nearby apartment on the 200 block of Baltimore Pike. Lavelle knew the boy was underage and had escaped from the school, according to the affidavit.

Lavelle let the boy shower, gave him money and bought him food and cigarettes, the affidavit says. Lavelle also began “talking sexual stuff to him,” according to the affidavit.

Authorities said boy told them Lavelle rubbed the boy’s legs the had and back and grabbed his penis over his pants on one occasion, but the boy pushed him away. In another instance, he said Lavelle watched pornography while rubbing the juvenile’s head, then touched his penis under his pants before the boy again pushed him away.

Lavelle drove the boy to Riddle Ale House, where he drank beer and played pool until causing a disturbance, then took the boy to Harrah’s Casino in Chester, according to the affidavit. Lavelle continued to drink at the casino, then took the juvenile to the Clarion Hotel, where he got into a confrontation and was arrested, the affidavit states. The boy returned to Lavelle’s apartment. Lavelle was brought to the PSP Media Barracks June 28 and allegedly admitted to showing the boy – who he referred to as “Tractor” – what he dubbed “‘70s pornography” on his cell phone. Lavelle also admitted to taking to the boy to the various locations and grabbing his penis outside and inside of his pants, according to the affidavit.

Pall said Lavelle, a father of four, suffers from bipolar disorder and that his mental state played a significant role in his offense. Pall noted Lavelle was taken to CrozerChester Medical Center for treatment and now appears to be doing well.

“I’m sorry the whole thing occurred,” said Lavelle. “It did have a lot to do with my mental breakdown.”

Lavelle said he has only a limited recollection of his time with the juvenile and does not remember saying certain things to staff at Crozer. “That’s not me,” he said. Lavelle will also have to comply with the recommendations of a psychosexual evaluation under the sentence handed down by Delaware County Common Pleas Court Judge Barry Dozor. Lavelle was given credit for time served from June 29 to Monday, but the judge indicated the evaluation would have to be performed before he can be released.

Borowsky said he would not seek sex offender probation unless recommended by the evaluation. No further information was available about the unnamed juvenile with regards to the robbery charges.