Thorpe firefighter admits to groping young girl

A suspended Jim Thorpe firefighter admitted in Carbon County court on Thursday afternoon to groping a then 14-year-old girl at a borough firehouse.

Charles H. “Chucky” Leinthall Jr., 53, appeared before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II to enter a plea of guilty to one count of indecent assault on a minor less that 16. In exchange for the plea the district attorney’s office agreed to drop two counts of unlawful contact with a minor and one count each of indecent assault, without consent and stalking, repeatedly commit acts to cause fear.

Leinthall was suspended from the fire department following the accusation and his access to any fire department buildings has been revoked, according to Jim Thorpe Fire Chief Vince Yaich, at the time the incident was reported.

Incident details

The contact occurred inside Fairview Hose Company at Ninth and School streets on the night of Nov. 5 while firefighters were conducting training.

On that evening police said Leinthall touched the girl’s buttocks and crotch, and made a lewd comment toward her. He then allegedly threatened the girl if she told anyone.

According to court documents, the first incident occurred inside a firetruck. Leinthall was having a conversation with several people who were sitting in the firetruck when he said that he would welcome it if the girl wanted to perform a sex act on him.

Leinthall shut the door to the firetruck and walked away. A short time later, however, while the victim was still inside the truck with her boyfriend, Leinthall opened the door and allegedly hit the victim and touched her. He then closed the door, laughing.

Later, after the victim got out of the fire engine, and the firefighters were training, court papers say he grabbed her again as she walked toward an office inside the station. The victim continued walking away from Leinthall and went inside the office.

A few minutes later, Leinthall came into the office and threatened the victim. She said that he used expletives to state that she shouldn’t tell anyone about the alleged contact.

On Nov. 6, a Jim Thorpe police detective Lee J. Marzen interviewed Leinthall. Leinthall allegedly admitted to touching the victim’s buttocks and crotch. He also admitted to asking the victim if she would perform a sex act. He asked if he could be reinstated to the fire department, because he had been suspended following the incident.

He reportedly told Marzen that the incident, “turned him on for a little bit.”

After accepting the plea, Nanovic deferred sentencing, stating the charge falls under the provisions of Megan’s Law. Leinthall will have to be evaluated by the state sexual offender’s assessment board to determine if he is a sexual violent predator. If it is determined that he is, then he will have to register for life as a sexual offender. If not, the registration period is 25 years.

Nanovic also ordered the adult probation office prepare a presentence investigation report.

Reporter Chris Reber contributed to this story