VERDICT: Philadelphia County Man Convicted of Sexual Abuse of a Young Child; Charged after Grand Jury Investigation of Jehovah’s Witnesses Congregation Members
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Michelle Henry announced that a Philadelphia County jury has convicted a man of all charges for the sexual abuse of a young child in 1998, when the defendant was a Jehovah’s Witness congregation member who utilized his position in the church to befriend the victim’s family.
David Balosa, 62, of Philadelphia, was convicted Monday of two felony counts of aggravated indecent assault and related misdemeanors, following a weeklong trial. Balosa will be sentenced on Jan. 27.
Balosa was arrested last year after the 49th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury recommended sexual assault-related charges against more than a dozen members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses faith who used the religion as a means to get close to victims.
“This defendant used religion to befriend a family — even moving in with them — before betraying their trust in the most heinous way, by abusing a very young child,” Attorney General Henry said. “We have a sworn obligation to protect our children and I commend the trial jury, as well as the grand jurors, for their time and attention to this case.”
According to testimony, the victim reported the abuse to their parents about 11 years after it happened. The parents confronted Balosa, who initially denied the allegation, but later admitted and asked for forgiveness.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Zachary Wynkoop.