Deb Ryan: Latest News

The DAs office says John Stevens, 54, of West Chester, has been arrested and charged for the sexual assault of two girls and two boys who were between the ages of 5–8 years old.  WEST CHESTER, Pa. - The Chester County District Attorney's Office announced on Wednesday that a Chester County man accused of sexually abusing four children is in custody. The DA's office says John Stevens, 54, of West Chester, has been arrested and charged for the sexual assault of two girls and two boys who were between the ages of 5–8 years old. Stevens is charged with multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault of a child, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, and related offenses, according to officials. MORE HEADLINES "These young and innocent children were violated in unimaginable ways by a person who had responsibility to keep them safe. This horrific betrayal will certainly affect their entire family," said DA Deb Ryan.

COATESVILLE, Pa. - Officials with Coatesville Area School District announced the school has received numerous threats within the last week.According to authorities, the Chester County District Attorney’s Office, as well as Caln Township police officers are actively investigating at least four different threats to the school.On October 13, the school was put on lockdown after three separate threats regarding weapons were received by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office and then passed on to the school.RELATED COVERAGE:The Chester County Sheriff’s Department searched the school for weapons, but found nothing and school was dismissed.Another threat was received by the school Friday, forcing administrators to cancel school for the day. Officials are investigating the threats.Coatesville was forced to cancel their homecoming football game against Downingtown due to credible threats of violence.

FILE - File image of crime scene tape. (FOX TV Stations)KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - A man and a woman were found dead with gunshot wounds in Kennet Square, according to the police. Authorities say police and EMS arrived on the 100 block of Kaolin Road on Saturday.They found an 87-year-old man and a 65-year-old woman dead from gunshot wounds, police say. According to authorities, a gun was recovered at the scene and no other people were inside the house. MORE LOCAL HEADLINESOfficials say the man was a dementia patient and the woman was a home health worker who assisted him around the house. Police believe the incident is isolated and may be a murder-suicide, according to officials. According to authorities, police are reviewing home security cameras. "thank you to Kennett Township Police and all first responders for ensuring that everyone in the area of this sad incident was safe," Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said.

MARLBOROUGH TWP. - Authorities say two adults and a child were killed in an apparent murder-suicide at a home in Chester County. Officers from the East Marlborough Township Police Department went to a home on Federal Walk in Kennett Square Monday for a wellness check. Police say a 55-year-old man, a 50-year-old woman and a 12-year-old were found shot to death. Police found multiple spent shell casings and a semi-automatic handgun at the home.

Rushon Drayton, 23 (Chester County District Attorney's Office)CHESTER COUNTY - A 23-year-old janitor at Valley Forge Middle School has been accused of sexually abusing two teenage girls.Rushon Drayton, known as "Shawn," is charged with multiple counts of institutional sexual assault, indecent assault of a person under 16, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, statutory sexual assault and other charges.The Chester County District Attorney's Office says Drayton "preyed upon vulnerable middle schoolers" by sending inappropriate and sexual text messages to students age 14 and 15. He became friendly with the students over several months by handing out candy four times a week, one student said.The mother of the first victim, a 14-year-old girl, reportedly found screenshots of inappropriate messages on her daughter’s phone.

COATESVILLE, Pa. - Two men have been arrested and charged in connection to the shooting death of a four-year-old in Coatesville, the Chester County District Attorney announced Tuesday. Police say officers from the Coatesville City Police Department were called to the 300 block of East Chestnut Street around 5 p.m. on February 28. PREVIOUS: 4-year-old boy fatally shot in the face in Coatesville, police sayFour-year-old Roman Aguilera-Ortiz was found shot once in the face and pronounced dead by paramedics, police say. According to the DA, Aguilera-Ortiz's older brother, 18-year-old Victor Lara-Ortiz, was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, firearms not to be carried without a license, endangering the welfare of a child and other related offenses. Police say Lara-Ortiz left his bedroom door open with a loaded gun unsecured on a table when the four-year-old found it and accidentally shot himself in the head. "There were no safety precautions whatsoever to secure the gun in any way," Chester County District Attorney Deb Ryan said. According to police, 31-year-old William Thomas was also arrested for selling the gun to Lara-Ortiz.

LOWER OXFORD TWP, Pa. - Authorities in Delaware County have made an arrest in the stabbing death of a Lincoln University student who was killed during a brawl at a dorm that injured two others.Delaware County District Attorney Deb Ryan and Lincoln University Police will hold a press conference Thursday to announce the arrest of 39-year-old Nydira Smith.Smith, a Philadelphia resident, is being charged with the murder of 21-year-old Jawine Evans during the dorm room brawl on Feb. 16. Officers responded to the campus in Lower Oxford Township around 9:30 p.m.

Leroy Brahm (Chester County District Attorney's Office)  SPRING CITY, Pa. - The Chester County District Attorney's Office and the East Vincent Township Police Department announced charges against a man accused of murdering his girlfriend in December. Authorities have charged 31-year-old Leroy Brahm of Spring City with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, strangulation, aggravated assault and other charges relating to the death of his girlfriend, 21-year-old Annabel Meenan. PREVIOUS: Chester County woman found dead inside home; boyfriend charged with assault as investigation continuesOn Dec. 4, 2021, police responded to the 800 block of Buttonwood Avenue in Spring City.

DOWNINGTOWN, Pa. - A Chester County man faces numerous charges in the alleged sexual assault of a child, officials announced Monday.George Berry, 70, of Downingtown, was arrested in connection to the rape of a 12-year-old child between January 2020 and December 2021.Berry is charged with 15 counts of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, and related offenses. Berry shared a home with the victim and the victim's mother. He was taken into custody on Jan.