A Pennsylvania State trooper has been suspended from duty without pay after he was charged with harassing a witness in a child abuse investigation.
Christopher S. Young, aged 34, was recently denied bail by a district judge after being deemed a danger to himself and others. He faces charges of intimidating a witness, as well as stalking and loitering or prowling at night.
The charges stem from an investigation conducted by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office and the State Police, revealing that Young had been persistently contacting a potential witness in a child abuse case via calls and text messages. Furthermore, on the night of February 24, he was spotted in the woods behind the witness’s residence in Schuylkill County, armed with a gun and a knife.
Attorney General Dave Sunday condemned Young’s actions, stating that they represent alarming efforts to manipulate witness cooperation in a highly sensitive criminal investigation. Sunday emphasized that such behavior, especially from someone tasked with protecting the community, will not be tolerated.
Sunday did not provide any information about the child abuse investigation but said it “is ongoing.”
State Police said Young joined the department in 2017 and was assigned to the Troop L Patrol Unit in Hamburg.
