Cops: Man Turns Himself in, Faces Charges of Groping a Teen at a Church Dance

A Philadelphia man turned himself into authorities Wednesday on accusations he fondled  a minor’s breast at a church sponsored dance in Croydon March of 2013.

Robert Nagle, represented by Richard Gutman, stood quietly while Magistrate Frank W. Peranteau Sr. listed the offenses he was charged with. Nagle stood quietly while intently listening to the judge read off the offenses he allegedly committed.

According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Bristol Township police, Nagle attended a dance sponsored by St. Thomas Aquinas on March 15, 2013

Nagle, who is 33, was at the dance with his girlfriend  and allegedly grasped  a 13-year-old girl’s breast.

The girl told  authorities Nagle was engaged in a conversation with another adolescent when he “suddenly moved his hand down the front of her shirt  then squeezed her bare breast  while his hand was underneath her shirt and underwear, ” police say.

Bristol Township officers spoke with the victim about  being grabbed by the suspect and noted she was visibly upset in court documents.

Police continued to investigate and interviewed two witnesses,  both juveniles. One girl  told authorities she saw Nagle reach out and grab the breast of the victim while they were dancing. The second witness told police that she saw the defendant  standing face to face with the victim, and reach out towards the 13 year old.  One of the girl’s told officers that she didn’t see Nagle touch the girl because her friend pulled her towards the DJ booth but did say Nagle had attempted to engage other adolescent girls at the dance,  police  say.

Tullytown Gets New Police Chief

Both juvenile girls provided similar  physical descriptions to officers of a man fitting Nagle’s description, police say.

Bristol Township investigators also spoke with two adult chaperones, who each providing descriptions matching the ones given by the girls and in turn matching that of the suspect. One of the women told authorities she approached Nagle  after he became “something of a concern.” She was unaware of the alleged groping  of the girl, asking him to leave the dance floor stay with a monitor and to meet her upstairs, the affidavit says. Nagle complied with the request, police say, however, the one woman told Bristol police  she observed Nagle “hurriedly” leaving the dance.

Through further investigative techniques, court records say, investigators developed Nagle as a suspect then showed the victim a male photo array in which she identified Nagle as the man who grabbed her breast.

Nagle was later interviewed by authorities,  admitting he was at the dance in the company of his girlfriend and was asked to leave by the adult monitors for the event.

The 33-year-old is charged with unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault on a minor under 16, and indecent assault without consent.

Gutman pointed out to the Judge that Nagle arranged his surrender Wednesday willingly and has fully cooperated with authorities and wanted the magistrate to take that into consideration when setting bail.

Peranteau set bail at $50,000 unsecured and set Nagle’s preliminary hearing for October 16.