PENNSYLVANIA
Daily Local News
By Michael Rellahan, Daily Local News
POSTED: 03/15/17
WEST CHESTER >> The former pastor at a Uwchlan megachurch intends to enter a guilty plea to criminal charges brought in the case of a teenager he allegedly raped and impregnated, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
Assistant District Attorney Emily Provencher of the DA’s Child Abuse Unit told Common Pleas President Judge Jacqueline Carroll Cody in court that Jacob Matthew “Jake” Malone had made it clear through his attorney that he would plead guilty and be sentenced.
However, the alleged victim, who is now 20 years old and lives in Arizona, has made it clear that she would like to be present for the proceeding. Thus, Provencher and defense attorney Evan Kelly of West Chester, who represents Malone, have been attempting to arrange a mutually agreeable date to present the plea and proposed sentence to Cody, who is overseeing the case.
The prosecutor said that they had initially hoped to appear before Cody the last week of March. Cody, however, said she had meetings that would keep her away from the courthouse that week, so the parties are expected to formalize a date in April later this week. Provencher did not detail the proposed sentence, and Kelly declined comment when contacted Wednesday.
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