Apr 27, 2015 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – A Cumberland Township man is accused of engaging in a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl over several months that ended after she became pregnant.

Cumberland Township police said Brandon M. Dawson, 19, of 215 Glade Run Road, had sex with the girl on at least two occasions and engaged in sex acts with her six to eight times between September and January.

He was arrested Friday night on multiple felony charges of indecent deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sex assault, aggravated sex assault and corruption of a minor, among other charges. He was arraigned by District Judge Lee Watson and is being held in Greene County jail on $75,000 bond.

Investigators said they asked to speak with the teenage girl and her parents at the Cumberland Township Police Department Jan. 26 after receiving a report from Greene County Children and Youth Services. Dawson and the teen girl allegedly lied to CYS workers about Dawson’s age and told them they were only friends. Police did not elaborate on how CYS originally became involved in the case.

The teen girl told police during her interview with them that Dawson was only 17 and they had never engaged in sexual activity. However, police said they had a witness who contradicted her interview, prompting the teen to ask to speak privately with investigators.

According to court documents, she told police Chief Craig Miller she and Dawson were dating for about a month and the two engaged in sex acts less than a dozen times at either Dawson’s home or a mutual friend’s residence.

The teen also told Miller she was pregnant, and the couple recently broke up “because of the age difference and so that Dawson did not get into trouble,” court documents indicate.

“She asked how long Dawson would go to jail and was concerned that Dawson would not get to see his child,” police wrote in the criminal complaint support the charges.

Police interviewed Dawson Feb. 12, and he admitted to having sex with the girl on two occasions and engaging in sex acts with her six to eight times. Police said they also sent sexual photos to each other through Facebook.

Dawson faces a dozen charges each of statutory sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated sexual assault and corruption of a minor, eight counts of indecent deviate sexual intercourse, four counts of child pornography and one charge of disseminating sexual materials. He also faces a dozen misdemeanor charges of indecent assault.

Dawson’s preliminary hearing is scheduled before Watson on May 4 at 1:45 p.m.