Evidence issues lead DA to drop serious sex assault counts against Penn Township man

A Penn Township man was ordered to serve seven years on probation after Westmoreland County prosecutors said evidentiary issues prevented them from proceeding to trial on more series sexual assault allegations involving a 6-year-old girl.

Michael Walker, 40, formerly of Greensburg, was charged in 2019 with felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, child endangerment and corruption of a minor in connection with claims that he had sexual contact with the girl.

According to court records, the child told her parents she was improperly touched by Walker and a subsequent investigation found his DNA on the child’s clothing, police said.

Jury selection for Walker’s trial was set to begin Tuesday morning, but was halted when prosecutors said a plea deal was finalized that included dismissal of the most serious sex-related offenses.

Assistant District Attorney Judi Petrush said evidentiary issues that included the death of the primary investigator in the case as well as the suspension of another Greensburg police officer contributed to the decision to allow Walker to plead guilty to one felony charge of child endangerment and a downgraded misdemeanor corruption of a minor offense.

Petrush said the officer’s suspension was unrelated to the Walker case but rendered the police witness as unavailable to testify about aspects of the investigation.

She said the girl and her family approved the plea deal for Walker.

“This will spare the victim of additional trauma. This happened when the victim was 6 years old and she’s trying to move on,” Petrush said.

Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani sentenced Walker to the probation term that also included 12 months of house arrest.

Barbara Lynn Desmond, 59, of Penn Township, Walker’s mother, pleaded guilty in 2020 to disorderly conduct for failing to report the girl’s initial allegations against her son, according to court records. Desmond worked as an independent living caseworker at the time with the Westmoreland County Children’s Bureau, according to police. State law requires adults in a professional setting who come in contact with children to report suspected child abuse directly to the state through ChildLine.