Chester pastor accused of sex with teen gets hearing date
MEDIA COURTHOUSE » A 70-year-old Chester pastor is scheduled for a pretrial conference April 26 before Judge Richard Cappelli on charges that he allegedly recorded sexual encounters with a 17-year-old girl on his cell phone while paying her $2,000 to keep quiet.
Edward Lilly, of the 4100 block of Kates Glen Drive in Boothwyn, is charged with 10 counts each of child pornography and knowingly photographing or videotaping a person under the age of 18 engaging in sexual acts, all felonies of the second degree, as well as one first-degree felony charge of communicating with a minor to facilitate sexual abuse, one count of criminal use a communication facility, a thirddegree felony, and one misdemeanor count of corruption of minors.
Lilly, pastor of the Christian Church of Chester at 308 W. Third St., allegedly recorded himself sexually abusing the girl at his home, in a rented recreational vehicle, at hotels and at Henry Johnson Park in Trainer, according to an affidavit of probable cause written by Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division Detective Mark Bucci.
The alleged victim, now 19, spoke with Bucci and CID Sgt. Robin Clark Aug. 13, according to the affidavit. During that interview, she recounted how Lilly began showing her attention in 2017 during her shifts as a cashier at an Upper Chichester grocery store he frequented. She was 16 years old at the time, a fact Lilly was aware of, according to the affidavit.
Lilly allegedly flirted with the girl, asking if she had ever had sex, the affidavit says. At one time he allegedly put a vibrator in her hand and asked if she knew what it was. He also gave her a $100 bill for her 17th birthday, according to the affidavit.
The alleged victim told investigators that Lilly pestered her for her phone number and used it to text her when she finally relented. He learned her work schedule and showed up before her shifts beginning in early 2018, the affidavit says, twice inviting her into his car to talk.
In one of those discussions, the girl said she told Lilly she was upset because she had a falling out with her father. He allegedly placed a hand on her thigh, told her he was sorry to hear about her troubles, and then kissed her on the lips.
In the spring of 2018, the girl told Lilly she was running for her high school track team and would run down Township Line Road to Henry Johnson Park, according to the affidavit. Shortly thereafter, Lilly joined her at the park to run with her, but brought her to a secluded area and had intercourse with her, the affidavit says.
Lilly allegedly recorded that first instance on his phone, images of which were recovered from his laptop, according to the affidavit. The sexual relationship allegedly continued for several months thereafter with numerous meetings at various locations.
Lilly allegedly showed the girl pornographic videos and asked her to reenact them, asked for and sent sexually explicit photographs over a cell phone he bought specifically for the relationship, suggested she buy sex toys so he could watch her use them on herself, and asked for and received her used underwear, which he placed into a ziplock bag, the affidavit says.
During this period, Lilly provided the girl with approximately $2,000, which she told investigators felt like a way to buy her silence. He also allegedly told her not to tell anyone about their relationship and to delete text messages and other data.
Investigators recovered several devices while serving a search warrant on Lilly’s home Aug. 26, according to the affidavit. Forensic examiners used tools to recover deleted data that included a video of Lilly and the girl in an upstairs hallway of Lilly’s home Sept. 24, 2019, according to the affidavit, when the alleged victim would have been 17 years old. The sexual relationship allegedly continued through some point in 2020.
Lilly was arrested at his home Oct. 26 and released on $100,000 unsecured bail. Assistant District Attorney Christopher Boggs, head of the Special Victims Unit, is prosecuting.