Melvin R. Petersheim, 49, of the 600 block of Integrity Drive, pleaded guilty to 27 total charges on Oct. 12 in Lancaster County Court.
The Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office announced that Petersheim entered a guilty plea for charges of rape of a child (2x), statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault (3x), unlawful contact with a minor (4x), incest of minor (2x), aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 13 (3x), aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 16 (2x), corruption of minors (4x), indecent assault of a person less than 13 (4x), and indecent assault of a person less than 16 (2x).
The abuse occurred in Manheim Township between 2012 and 2021. Lancaster County Judge Merrill Spahn accepted the guilty plea and will sentence the defendant on a later date. The maximum possible sentence is 339 years in prison.
On November 1, 2021, Manheim Township Police received a child welfare report from Lancaster County Children & Youth. Subsequent interviews with the victims revealed and detailed the abuse.
