Pennsylvania Man Convicted of Raping Teen After First Denying Sex, Then Claiming Encounter Was Consensual

A Pennsylvania man who initially denied having sex with an intoxicated teenager before describing their encounter as consensual was convicted of rape on 24 September 2026.

Salvador Villa-Del Toro, 28, was found guilty of assaulting the 17-year-old on a Susquehanna River island in July 2024.

Prosecutors said a vaginal swab collected during her hospital examination matched his DNA, contradicting his initial denial of sexual contact. The teenager testified that she was in and out of consciousness during the assault.

A Lancaster County jury convicted Villa-Del Toro of rape of an unconscious victim and several other offences following a five-day trial.

The investigation began after the teenager returned from the island approximately an hour later, barely able to stand or walk. Her friends feared she had been drugged and contacted police to report a possible overdose, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.

The girl had been drinking with friends along the river's shoreline in Martic Township when Villa-Del Toro arrived on a jet ski. He offered to take her for a ride before bringing her to an unidentified island, where the assault occurred.

Pennsylvania Rape Conviction Follows Defendant's Changing Account

Villa-Del Toro initially denied having sexual contact with the teenager when questioned during the investigation, according to prosecutors. He later acknowledged a sexual encounter after dropping her off near a swimming hole but maintained that it was consensual.

The Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said Villa-Del Toro knew the teenager was intoxicated at the time.

The teenager gave a different account at trial, testifying that Villa-Del Toro raped her after taking her to the island. She said she had been drifting in and out of consciousness and was unable to consent to sexual activity.

Her testimony formed part of the prosecution's case, alongside forensic evidence obtained after she was taken to hospital. Investigators collected a vaginal swab that matched Villa-Del Toro's DNA, according to the district attorney's office.

The DNA match was inconsistent with Villa-Del Toro's initial denial of sexual contact. It did not, by itself, establish whether the teenager had consented.

The jury subsequently found him guilty of rape of an unconscious victim, among other offences, after hearing the evidence presented during the trial.

Teenager's Friends Feared Overdose After Susquehanna River Assault

The teenager's condition when she returned from the jet ski ride prompted her friends to contact emergency services.

According to the district attorney's office, Villa-Del Toro brought her back to the group approximately an hour after taking her onto the river.

The teenager testified that her friends immediately suspected something was wrong because she could barely stand or walk. They believed she might have been drugged and contacted police to report a possible overdose.

Pennsylvania State Police troopers responded to the scene but were unable to speak with the teenager because of her condition. She was later taken to a local hospital, where medical personnel collected the forensic sample prosecutors later cited.

The district attorney's statement does not establish that the teenager was drugged and provides no information about toxicology testing. The girl's testimony instead centred on her intoxication and periods of impaired consciousness during the encounter.

Prosecutors said Villa-Del Toro was aware of her intoxicated condition. The jury ultimately convicted him of rape of an unconscious victim following the presentation of evidence concerning the assault.

Pennsylvania Rape Case Ends With Guilty Verdicts on All Charges

The case proceeded to a five-day trial in Lancaster County, where the jury considered testimony and evidence gathered during the investigation. Jurors returned guilty verdicts on 24 September after approximately one hour of deliberation.

Villa-Del Toro was convicted of one count of rape of an unconscious victim, two counts of indecent assault and two counts of aggravated assault. He was also found guilty of corruption of minors, sexual assault, unlawful contact with a minor and failure to register an automobile.

Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick prosecuted the case, while Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Jonathan Lear filed the original charges.

The conviction followed an investigation into the July 2024 assault, which began after the teenager's friends raised concerns about her condition.

The prosecution's case included the teenager's account of the assault, the circumstances surrounding her return from the island and forensic evidence recovered during her hospital examination.

Judge Todd Brown, who presided over the trial, is expected to sentence Villa-Del Toro at a later hearing. The Lancaster County District Attorney's Office has not announced a sentencing date.

The jury's verdicts establish Villa-Del Toro's guilt on all charges considered at trial. His sentence remains to be determined, with further proceedings expected before Brown.