A Leechburg man is facing five felony charges related to the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl, according to Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office.

The district attorney indicated it was 34-year-old Joseph Hesketh’s persistent interest in fostering a 9-year-old girl that initiated an investigation into him.

Police said the investigation led police to identify Hesketh as the “possible perpetrator” in a 2018 incident reported in Vandergrift, Westmoreland County.

A report then made to Child Protective Services indicated a source saw text messages on a computer at the dance studio between Hesketh and his now-wife, who was then a minor, discussing his sexual encounters with another girl. The incidents reportedly happened when the girl was between 13 and 20 years old, according to police.

The Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office said Hesketh went on to adopt the girl discussed.

Police said Hesketh met the girl as a family friend when she was 8 years old taking lessons at a Vandergrift dance studio where Hesketh was a partner.

In an interview with a social worker, the girl, who is now 24-years-old, said Hesketh would often drive her to and from dance rehearsal and that she attended the same church where Hesketh’s brother was a pastor.

She said in their first sexual encounter, Hesketh had driven her to the church while no one else was there and took her to an office where he touched her inappropriately, according to police. The encounters escalated and the girl said the two had more encounters at the dance studio, where Hesketh kept a bedroom, at her former home in Vandergrift and at Hesketh’s parents’ home in Vandergrift.

Hesketh acknowledged the text messages found on the dance studio computer when interviewed by police, but said the girl was 18 years old when their relationship began.

Hesketh was charged Tuesday, Aug. 11, with two felony counts of aggravated indecent assault, one felony count each of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and corruption of minors, and misdemeanor indecent assault relating to the encounters.

Hesketh’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Aug. 25 before District Judge Cheryl J. Peck-Yakopec. He’s represented by attorney Damian Tofte of the Tofte Law Office.