Mar 25, 2015 2 min read

A former Washington County juvenile probation employee will stand trial on a charge that he inappropriately touched a 17-year-old girl he was transporting.

Andre Sullivan, 25, of 6100 Spring House Place, Bridgeville, was charged in January by summons with a felony count of institutional sexual assault. He appeared Wednesday before District Judge Robert Redlinger for a preliminary hearing.

Sullivan is accused of inappropriately touching the girl on one occasion Oct. 20 while he was taking the girl home from the LEADER program, where he was a site-based monitor. The LEADER program is an after-school program for delinquent youths operated by the court’s juvenile probation office at Washington Park Elementary School. The program’s goal is to keep children and teens out of adult criminal court. Participating youths are transported to the program after school from across the county, where they receive help with school work and drug and alcohol, mental health and anger management training.

Sullivan was employed as a monitor from May 12 to Jan. 28, a day after he was officially charged. He worked with youths in the program and drove them back and forth.

The girl testified Wednesday that she and Sullivan flirted on the ride to her home while they were alone in the vehicle. She said he asked to see her breasts and that she willingly complied. He then fondled her. She said the pair had limited contact prior to the incident, although she said on several occasions he made comments about provocative photos she posted on social media and gave her leniency in violation of program rules.

Additional testimony revealed that a policy is in place that is supposed to prevent male employees from being alone with female youths. There should be two employees working together at the program and female passengers are supposed to be dropped off first. There is only one employee in each transportation van.

The girl testified that after she got home she became emotional and confided in her sister about the incident. The next day, Oct. 21, she told a tutor at the LEADER program, who reported the incident to an individual with the juvenile probation department.

Sullivan’s attorney, Peter Marcoline, said his client denies the allegations and has cooperated with investigators.

Sullivan remains free on his own recognizance.