Assistant Fire Chief Charged In Sex Assault

WESTMORELAND COUNTY (KDKA) – An Assistant Fire Chief in Westmoreland County is charged with having sex with a juvenile.

56-year-old Kenneth Steiner is accused of having sex and exchanging inappropriate pictures and texts with a juvenile female beginning in 2013.

A school official alerted authorities, "The student's friend told a guidance counselor what had happened," said authorities.

Steiner is the assistant chief of the New Florence Volunteer Department.

The victim is described as an aspiring junior firefighter.

Authorities say their relationship started off innocently enough but "it gradually became inappropriate, starting with text messages and then leading to the charges that were filed."

Charges involve allegations of multiple sexual encounters between Steiner and the victim while she was 12 to 15-years old.

Detectives say they took place at Steiner's New Florence home.

"He did admit to the text messages yes," authorities said.

KDKA talked with members of the fire department off camera and they displayed dismay over what's happening.

The department released a statement about the situation saying:

Tuesday evening at a meeting of administrative and line officers, Assistant Chief Steiner was suspended from duty pending the outcome of an internal investigation and the disposition of criminal charges.

Steiner faces 10-felony counts.

He's free on 25-thousand dollar unsecured bond.

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