Pennsylvania man accused of kidnapping local girl

A Pennsylvania man is being accused of kidnapping a 13-year-old Jackson County girl, taking her back across the country and sexually assaulting her.

The Lancaster County Pennsylvania District Attorney’s office reported on Friday that 38-year-old Andrew E. Howland of Lancaster City was arrested last week after a multi-agency investigation led them to a hotel room where the girl was rescued and he was arrested.

The investigation found that Howland had been communicating the girl online, and outlined his plan to bring her to Pennsylvania to sexually assault her. Howland is accused of kidnapping the girl at about 1 a.m. Tuesday morning and then drove through several states before returning to several hotels with her in the Lancaster area.

Howland is facing felony charges of kidnapping, unlawful contact with a minor, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, interference with custody of children, and misdemeanor counts of indecent assault and corruption of minors.

The Lancaster County Childrens Alliance and Lancaster County Children and Youth Agency assisted the girl and she is in the custody of social services.

Lancaster County District Attorney’s office announcement

Photo courtesy of West Hempfield Township Police Department.