6 Virginia Firefighters Accused Of Gang-Raping Teen

STRASBURG, VA — Six volunteer firefighters in Strasburg, Virginia, have been arrested and charged in connection with the gang rape of a 17-year-old that was videotaped and then posted on social media, the Virginia State Police said this week. Those charged in the investigation include two of the fire department’s top leaders.

The six men were charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail and a fine of up to $2,500 in fines. Those charged are Dale King, 36, the fire chief; Christoph Pangle, 32, the operations captain; Nathan Hirschberg, 26; Andrew Key, 24; Bradley Martin, 21; and Fabian Sosa, 25.

The firefighters are on administrative leave in accordance with the fire department’s bylaws, a person who answered the phone at the Strasburg Fire Department told Patch. A fire department official authorized to speak to the media was not immediately available.

The videos were brought to the attention of the Strasburg mayor in April 2017 by a local citizen and the investigation turned over to the Virginia State Police after the city recused itself. The alleged attacks took place at three locations, including the firehouse, a hotel and the home of one of the men, according to media reports.

The videos were posted on Snapchat, but the teen’s mother and stepfather took screenshots and turned them over to investigators, who said she was “highly intoxicated” but also intimidated by the firefighters, WWTG-WWCA reported. Sex with at least one of the men was not consensual, the teen has said.

On a petition site established last year urging an investigation, the founder — a user identified only as Kelsey B — said the misdemeanor charges against the firefighters are “not even close to enough punishment for this crime.”

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