Greensburg man who fathered child with teen pleads guilty to sexual assault

A Greensburg man will serve up to 23 months in jail for the sexual assault of a New Kensington teenager who gave birth to his child.

Marcus Franklin Crawford, 25, formerly of Jeannette, pleaded guilty Friday to statutory sexual assault, corruption of a minor and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

Police charged Crawford this year after a 17-year-old girl claimed they had an ongoing sexual relationship that started in 2018, when she was 15. He is more than seven years older than the victim.

According to court records, the teen told police she and Crawford had been a couple for about 18 months, that he moved into her New Kensington home and they were engaged to be married.

Police said, based on the date of the baby’s birth, they calculated the child was conceived when Crawford’s accuser was 15 and under the age a juvenile can consent to sex with an adult. The baby was born in November 2019, police said.

Crawford, according to court records, confessed to having a sexual relationship with the teen but contended he did not know she was 15 until after she had become pregnant.

Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears ordered Crawford serve 6-to-23 months in jail and an additional year on probation. As part of the plea bargain, the prosecution dismissed counts of corruption of minors and indecent assault.