by Alex Lloyd Gross
It took a jury less than one hour to reach a verdict of guilty against David Charles Hofmann. He first started to abuse the boy in 1995. He was a friend of the family. No one would suspect him of doing anything. He was also buying gifts for his young victim to buy his silence. Hofmann used to live with the family at times. He was even referred to as “Uncle Dave”, prosecutors said.
When the boy confided in his parents in 2007 , they did not immediately go to the police. Instead, they video taped the confession, which was played in court. Thirteen years after the abuse ended, the victim, now in his 30s, “wanted to take control back of his life and walked into the Falls Township Police Department on Feb. 5, 2020, and told them what happened,” Assistant District Attorney Sarah K. Heimbach told the jury.
in a second recorded telephone conversation, the victim, now in his 30’s spoke with “Uncle Dave”, who confessed again to the abuse. During the trial, the victim testified that this abuse continued for more than 10 years.
David Charles Hofmann, of Bristol Township, was found guilty of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 13 years old, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 16 years old, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old, indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old, statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors.