McKean County District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer reports that, following a two-day jury trial at the McKean County Courthouse,  Donna Simons, 67, of Bradford, was convicted of sex crimes against an unconscious male victim at a Fourth of July party in 2024. 

The trial concludes the investigation that began after the defendant was charged with performing oral sex on an unconscious young male at a residence in Bradford Township on July 4, 2024.  The male victim and other witnesses, including preteens who witnessed the event, testified at the jury trial that the male victim was intoxicated from alcohol consumption and passed out. One of the witnesses recorded the event which showed SIMONS initially lying next to the young male victim, who appears unconscious, then SIMONS rubbing her breasts and hands on the male victim’s penis, and then SIMONS performing oral sex on the young male while he laid unconscious and barely moving. The video played for the jury also captured SIMONS making sexually explicit statements to the young people who were present. 

The witnesses testified that, following the sexual assault,  the defendant was asked to leave the property only to return early the next morning.  She then learned that one of the children had taken a video the night before and she demanded the video be deleted while threatening to kill the victim and holding a knife in her hand. The case was investigated by Bradford Township Police Officer Jordan McCalla who also testified at the trial and the investigation was assisted by Lieutenant Timothy Gigliotti. District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer prosecuted the case on behalf of the Commonwealth.

SIMONS was convicted of Rape of an Unconscious Victim, Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse of an Unconscious Victim, Sexual Assault (lack of consent), Simple Assault by Physical Menace (deadly weapon possessed enhancement) and Terroristic Threats (deadly weapon possessed enhancement). She was found not guilty of furnishing alcohol to minors and corruption of minors. Due to the nature of the offense, SIMONS’ sentencing will be scheduled by subsequent court order to allow for the mandatory assessment by the Sexual Offender Assessment Board to determine if SIMONS meets the definition of “sexually violent predator” under Pennsylvania law. Following the conviction, the bail of defendant SIMONS was increased to $200,000 and she was remanded to the McKean County Jail with conditions that she have no contact with the victim or any of the witnesses. 

District Attorney Vettenburg-Shaffer:  “This case highlighted that the law affords equal protection for male victims the same as female victims and recognizes that victims of sex assault can be both male or female and, just as importantly, perpetrators can be both male or female. We thank the jury for their attention to the case particularly in watching the difficult video that captured the crime.” 

SIMONS is also awaiting sentencing for the crime of Trespass for trespassing on the same property where the assault took place weeks after the sexual assault despite being notified by the homeowners and Bradford Township Police she was not permitted there. If you have been sexually assaulted, please call 911 to report the crime to law enforcement. Victims may also receive services by calling the YWCA hotline at (888) 822-6325.