A 35-year old man is facing close to a dozen charges after police say he raped a 12-year old girl for nearly a year.
The investigation began on July 28, 2016, when an officer was contacted by Centre County Children and Youth Services, regarding a sexual assault, leading them to Matthew Sheffer.
Sheffer began a relationship with the victims mother, after meeting online and eventually moved in with the mother and daughter in Maine, before they moved to Millheim, Pennsylvania.
During the 2015-2016 school year, the victim was raped and sexually assaulted several times, even telling officials she lost count, but said it happened at least 10 times.
Her mother was working each time. Her relationship with Sheffer ended in April of 2016.
Although she suspected the defendant was cheating on her, she never suspected he was sexually assaulting her daughter until she disclosed she was being sexually abused.
Sheffer is facing rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault, corruption of minors and indecent exposure charges.
