Vandergrift man accused of molesting girl starting when she was 6 jailed on $2 million bond

West Deer police accused a Vandergrift man of sexually assaulting a girl several times a week over a six-year period starting when she was 6.

Justin Michael Jahoda, 36, of Sycamore Street was charged with a dozen felony counts that include aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors. He also was charged with misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure and child endangerment.

Jahoda is being held in the Allegheny County Jail in lieu of a $2 million bond. He faces a preliminary hearing July 13 before District Judge Tom Swan.

Police began investigating Jahoda in late March after receiving a state ChildLine notification from a mandatory reporter about a 14-year-old girl who alleged that Jahoda sexually abused her between 2014 to 2020, according to a criminal complaint.

The girl told police that Jahoda began touching her inappropriately when she was 6 years old and, over time, forced her to engage in sexual activity, the complaint said.

The girl said Jahoda also “forcefully” poured alcohol down her throat and threatened to “murder her family” if she told anybody about what he was doing to her.

Court records show that Jahoda pleaded guilty in 2019 to a misdemeanor charge of making terroristic threats filed by West Deer police and was sentenced to 18 months of probation.

In 2009, Jahoda pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of simple assault filed by Hampton police and was sentenced to one year of probation, according to court records.