Local liquor enforcement officer accused of sexually assaulting 2 kids, state police say
CAMBRIA COIUNTY, Pa. (WJAC) — A liquor enforcement officer has been charged with child rape after accusations he sexually assaulted two girls, state police say.
According to multiple criminal complaints, Scott Berdine, of Belsano, faces multiple felonies related to rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age and corruption of minors.
State police say Berdine has been employed with the PSP as an Enforcement Officer 3 within the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement since September 2008.
He’s assigned to the Punxsutawney District Enforcement Office.
Troopers say they received three child welfare reports in Aug. from Cambria County Children and Youth Services alleging that Berdine had committed sexual offenses against minors.
State police say the sexual assaults reportedly happened at Berdine’s Blacklick Township home sometime in 2019 and during Fourth of July weekend in 2021.
Investigators say they interviewed a girl who told them Berdine had assaulted her in 2019 when she was six years old.
She told troopers that she was alone with Berdine when he asked her to play the “candy challenge,” which involved Berdine blindfolding and sexually assaulting her, according to the complaint.
The girl explained that Berdine assaulted her again in the same way over Fourth of July weekend, state police say.
During another interview, state police say a girl told troopers that Berdine assaulted her when she was six or seven years old.
She told troopers that she was at Berdine’s house and wasn’t feeling well.
The girl said that Berdine told her he had something that would make her feel better and then blindfolded her and sexually assaulted her, according to the criminal complaint.
Troopers say they interviewed Berdine in Sept. and he denied the allegations, saying the accusations were made to cause drama.
Berdine is being lodged in the Cambria County Prison after he couldn’t post bail, court documents indicate.
He’s been suspended without pay pending the outcome of the investigation, according to state police.
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