Joseph McGuire : “Philadelphia Man Jailed for Teen Texts”

A Philadelphia man, Joseph McGuire, 66, has been sentenced to 7 to 14 years in a state correctional institution after admitting to having more than 1,000 text message and phone conversations, many of a sexual nature, with an underage girl from Lower Moreland Township. The incidents occurred between 2021 and 2022.

McGuire, who resides in the 2300 block of North 30th Street, pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful contact or communication with a minor, dissemination of explicit sexual materials to a minor, and corruption of a minor. The sentencing was handed down by Judge Wendy G. Rothstein in Montgomery County Court.

In addition to the prison term, McGuire was also ordered to complete 5 years of probation, consecutive to parole, bringing the total court supervision period to 19 years. He was further classified as a sexually violent predator by the Pennsylvania Sexual Offender Assessment Board.

Strict Restrictions and Lifetime Requirement

Being classified as a predator, McGuire will face stringent restrictions under state law, including mandatory counseling and a lifetime requirement to report his address to state police in compliance with the state’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act, previously known as Megan’s Law. The judge also ordered McGuire to have no contact with the victim.

During the sentencing hearing, McGuire, represented by defense lawyer Michael Drossner, expressed his apologies to the victim and her family, stating, “I deeply apologize. I hope to turn my life around.”

Assistant District Attorney Jediah Grobstein sought the lengthy prison term against McGuire, emphasizing the impact on the victim and her family. Grobstein stated, “The victim was deeply impacted by going through this experience, and it was important for her to see a just resolution here. He preyed on her because she was 15-years-old and vulnerable. The only safe option for the victim and the community was for him to spend a substantial portion of his life behind bars.”

Investigation Details

The investigation began on Jan. 2, 2022, when Lower Moreland police responded to a residence in the Huntingdon Valley section of the township. The mother of a 15-year-old girl reported that an adult male had exchanged sexually explicit text messages with her daughter.

The victim’s sister revealed that she had seen sexually explicit text messages between the juvenile and McGuire on the girl’s Apple watch. McGuire, a former employee at the Philly Skate Zone, Palace Roller Rink in Philadelphia, had significant contact with the victim at the rink.

During interviews, the victim disclosed engaging in explicit conversations about their sex lives with McGuire over the phone, text messages, and Snapchat. McGuire also requested and received images from the victim, including sending explicit images of himself. Additionally, McGuire provided the victim with marijuana and offered alcoholic beverages.

Forensic analysis of the phones revealed a significant number of communications between McGuire and the victim, totaling 1,922 times between August 2021 and January 2022. The majority of calls took place during late night or early morning hours.