Joshua Xavier Barden : “Jefferson County Man Jailed for Alleged Rape of Six-Year-Old”

PORTER TWP., Pa. (EYT) — Authorities have arrested a 33-year-old man, Joshua Xavier Barden, from Vandergrift, for the alleged rape of a young child in Porter Township. Punxsutawney-based State Police filed criminal charges against Barden on Monday, July 1, in District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office.

According to court documents, the incident took place approximately two to three years ago, with multiple occurrences between 2021 and 2022 in Jefferson County, Pa. The victim, who is now nine years old, would have been around six to seven years old at the time of the alleged incidents, while Barden would have been approximately 29 to 30 years old.

The investigation began on March 18 when the victim reported being sexually abused by Barden multiple times at a residence in Porter Township. During a forensic interview on April 4, the victim disclosed that Barden had inappropriately touched her with his hands/fingers and mouth, instructing her to keep it a secret.

Further investigations revealed that Barden had contacted a known female regarding the incident. In a phone call, Barden expressed distress about receiving a letter from CYS with the victim’s name on it and mentioned facing potential legal consequences. He claimed that the victim had requested the actions he took, which the female recipient disputed.

On July 1, Barden was charged with several offenses, including Rape of a Child, IDSI Person Less Than 16 Years Age, Sexual Assault, and Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse with a Child. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on July 3, with Judge Mizerock presiding.

EDITOR’S NOTE 1: Extreme graphic details have been omitted from this article for sensitivity.