– Man Charged in Cold Case Sexual Assault
– Additional Charges with Infant Victims.

Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Lancaster Man Faces Additional Charges in Cold Case Sexual Assault Investigation

A Lancaster man previously charged in a cold case sexual assault from 1997 is now facing additional charges after investigators executed a search warrant at his residence on August 15, 2023.

Eric Dorwart, a 54-year-old resident of the 500 block of Pleasure Road, has been charged with photographing, filming, and depicting a computer sex act with a child under 18, as well as possessing child pornography. Additionally, he faces charges of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, and aggravated indecent assault of a child.

The search warrant, executed by the Pennsylvania State Police, led to the discovery of two laptops at Dorwart’s residence, which were indicated by a family member to be used by the defendant. Furthermore, an iPhone was found in the garage of the residence.

A subsequent search warrant was obtained for the iPhone, and it revealed approximately 464 images of fetish material, among which 61 images were consistent with child pornography involving infant and toddler-aged victims.

Search warrants were also executed on the laptops, which uncovered a total of 1,672 images consistent with child pornography and associated erotica. Shockingly, 167 of these images depicted Dorwart engaged in sexual contact with three separate prepubescent children.

The Pennsylvania State Police is actively investigating to identify the victims, who were found to be infants that the Dorwart family may have babysat. Individuals who have any information that can assist in identifying the victims or any additional potential victims are urged to contact Pennsylvania State Police Troopers Dakota Baer or Brian McNally at 717-299-7650.

This recent development follows Dorwart’s initial arrest in October 2023 for a cold-case sexual assault that occurred in 1997, outside the victims’ home in Gordonville, Leacock Township.

In that case, Dorwart is accused of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old and 5-year-old victim. DNA evidence was collected in 1997, and a suspect matching the DNA profile was charged in 2002. However, from 2002 to 2022, periodic checks on the suspect’s DNA profile in CODIS yielded negative results. Investigators eventually identified Dorwart as a suspect and collected trash from the front of his residence, which had been left at the end of the driveway for street pickup on May 8, 2023.

The items recovered from the trash were analyzed for DNA, and on July 17, 2023, the forensic DNA laboratory confirmed that the DNA profile obtained from the trash matched the DNA saved as evidence from the sexual assault that occurred in 1997.

Dorwart waived his preliminary hearing on October 17, 2023, for charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 13, indecent assault of a person less than 15, and two counts of corruption of minors. He will face these charges in Lancaster County Court.

While he was released on $25,000 unsecured bail on the cold case charges, Dorwart is currently in custody and awaiting arraignment on the new charges.

It is important to note that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The charges against Dorwart were filed by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Dakota Baer, and Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick is prosecuting the cases.

For media inquiries, please contact Sean McBryan at semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us or follow him on Twitter at @SeanMcBryanLanc.

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1. “Man charged in 1997 cold case sexual assault faces additional charges with infant victims”
2. “State police seeking info on man charged in 1997 cold case sexual assault with infant victims”.