Pennsylvania Assistant Chief Charged With Sexual Assault of Junior Firefighter

An assistant chief in Pennsylvania has been charged with having sex with a junior firefighter in his department.

Kenneth Steiner, 56, has been charged with statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, criminal use of a communication facility, disseminating explicit sexual material to a minor, and corruption of a minor.

Steiner was an Assistant Chief with the New Florence Volunteer Fire Department. He has since been suspended. The misconduct allegedly took place in 2013. The victim was reportedly a female between the ages of 12 and 15.

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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