Man Accused of Sexually Abusing Girl

A Berks County man was arrested and charged for allegedly sexually abusing an underage girl.

A Berks County man was arrested and charged for allegedly sexually abusing an underage girl.

On March 5, detectives began investigating Paul Sewell, 44, of Reading. Investigators say they received a report from the Berks County Children and Youth Services identifying a 16-year-old girl who claimed she was sexually abused by Sewell when she was 13 and 14 years of age.

Police say the girl knew Sewell since she was 4-years-old when he was a mutual friend of her mother and considered him to be her uncle. She lived in his home in Reading when she was 13 and 14-years-old, according to investigators. During that time, police say Sewell sexually abused her more than 20 times. The girl told investigators she feared and listened to him because she felt she had nowhere else to live.

Paul Sewell, Credit: Berks County District Attorney

Investigators say Sewell took the girl to a tattoo shop and had the words “God’s Rebel” branded on the back of her neck. The tattoo was a practice and requirement Sewell demanded during the period of time he operated an illegal prostitution escort business, according to police.

On June 25, detectives served a search warrant for a forensic examination on Sewell’s cell phone.  Police say they initially seized the phone back on July 28, 2010 when the Berks County Drug Task Force dismantled Sewell’s internet prostitution escort business. Investigators say the forensic unit found images and video on the phone of the girl performing sexually acts on Sewell.

Sewell was arrested on Wednesday and charged with statutory sexual assault, sexual abuse of children, child pornography and other related offenses. He is currently being held in a federal prison in Philadelphia and is scheduled to be taken to Berks County on July 13 for a preliminary arraignment and hearing.
 

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