Authorities accuse 80-year-old man of sexually assaulting teen in Lehigh, Bradford counties | Allentown Area

The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office says an 80-year-old man has been charged with sexually assaulting a teen.

The DA’s office said Dennis Kochenash, currently of Wyalusing Borough in Bradford County, assaulted the teen in both Lehigh and Bradford counties.

“It came to our attention through a Childline report, which is a report made of suspected child abuse and that investigation led to a forensic interview of the victim who revealed what had happened,” said Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan.

Kochenash is charged with several felony counts of Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse – Person Less than 16 Years Old; Statutory Sexual Assault: Corruption of Minors – Defendant Age 18 or above, and several misdemeanor counts of Corruption of Minors and Indecent Assault of a Person Less than 16 Years Old, according to a news release from the DA’s office.

Before living in Bradford County, Kochenash lived in Lehigh County for many years, the DA’s office said. Kochenash was taken into custody Wednesday in Bradford County and is awaiting extradition to Lehigh County.

The DA’s office says that on Oct. 27, 2025, Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville received a ChildLine report of a victim who was 14 at the time the offenses began in 2024.

“The allegation that is contained in the criminal complaint is that the incidents began June of 2024 and continued through the end of December of 2024,” said Lehigh County Senior Deputy District Attorney Sarah Heimbach.

Kochenash and the victim were known to each other prior to the allegations, according to the DA’s office. The investigation revealed Kochenash and the victim began communicating with each other through text messages and on Snapchat, the DA’s office said.

The investigation revealed that the contact continued for several months; including online communication, in-person communication, and eventually the sexual assaults against the child, according to the news release.

In December 2024, Kochenash sexually assaulted the victim on several occasions and provided the victim with marijuana, the DA’s office said. 

As per agreement with the Bradford County District Attorney’s Office, the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office said it will investigate and prosecute the crimes that occurred in both counties.

“We understand that additional evidence has been collected there and then it will continue here with additional investigation into things he may have on his phone, he may have posted on social media, he may have collected at the home where he lives in Bradford County,” said Holihan.

This investigation remains ongoing and anyone with information regarding the alleged conduct or similar conduct by Kochenash is asked to contact the Pennsylvania State Police at 610-395-1438.