Timothy James Shay, 49, of Plumstead Township, was arraigned on Feb. 14 on 8 child sex crime offenses. (Credit: Bucks County District Attorney)
A piano instructor residing in Plumstead Township has been charged with the indecent assault of four male victims, who he is accused of inappropriately massaging during their lessons more than 20 years ago in Langhorne, Bucks County.
Timothy James Shay, 49, of the 4300 block of Point Pleasant Pike, was arraigned on Feb. 14 with four counts each of indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old and corruption of minors.
Authorities said all the offenses allegedly occurred more than two decades ago, and investigators strongly believe there may be other victims and are asking for them to come forward.
Anyone with information can contact Middletown Township Detective John Beck at (215) 750-3872.
Shay remains at Bucks County jail on 10% of $1 million cash bail, set at arraignment by Magisterial District Judge John T. Galloway.
“We are here yet again to report the arrest of an individual where the allegations involve facts that this individual preyed upon children,” District Attorney Jen Schorn said at a news conference on Friday. “What’s particularly concerning about this case is the allegations involve abuse that spanned several years, having began over 20 years ago.”
The youngest victim was just five years old when the abuse occurred, Schorn said.
A joint investigation by the Middletown Township Police Department and the Newtown Township Police Department began in February when police received a report of suspected child sexual abuse that occurred at a residence in Langhorne, Middletown Township.
Police allege the victim reported that the sexual abuse happened between the years of 1998 and 2003 when the victim was a juvenile and the defendant was his private piano instructor.
The lessons occurred at the victim’s residence, and the abuse progressed over the years, police said. Shay is accused of massaging the victim’s wrists, forearms, chest, abdomen and pubic area, Schorn said.
The victim said the inappropriate contact happened between 30 and 50 times, Schorn said. Shay allegedly told the victim to never tell anyone about the warmups.
Detectives spoke to a second victim from Langhorne, Middletown Township, who also had the defendant as a piano instructor between 1998 and 2003, when the victim was a juvenile, investigators said.
The victim said the defendant massaged him, claiming it would help with playing the piano, and the massages occurred three to five times, police said.
A third victim told police he had the defendant as a piano instructor in Newtown Township in the late 1990s/early 2000s when the victim was prepubescent, authorities said. During the first few lessons, the defendant would massage the victim’s back and during later lessons, he massaged other areas of the victim’s body, police said.
A fourth victim reported being eight years old when he had the defendant as a piano instructor in Newtown Township, authorities said. The victim told police the defendant would massage the victim’s inner and upper thighs, claiming it would help relieve tension in the area.
“We praise all of the victims for disclosing their abuse and we praise the mandated reporter who initially provided the CyberTip to Detective Beck and the work that the law enforcement on this case has done," Schorn said. "That is why Bucks County remains a safe community. We will not abide by sex offenders using our children for their own deviate sexual gratification. It’s the work of the men and women behind me that provides that assurance that we will seek out every predator and hold them accountable.”
Middletown Township Police Police Chief Joseph Bartorilla said the arrest "is an important step forward but our work is not done."
"If there are any other victims, no matter how long ago these crimes took place or where they occurred, we want to hear from you," he said. "Your voice matters. You will remain anonymous throughout the process and we will do everything in our power to support you and pursue justice on your behalf. Given the pattern of abuse we’ve uncovered, we strongly believe there may be other victims."
This case was investigated by Middletown Township Detective John Beck and Newtown Township Detective Nicholas Moffet and is assigned for prosecution to Chief Deputy District Attorney Kristin M. McElroy and First Assistant District Attorney David E. O’Beirne.
Shay resides near three Central Bucks schools: Gayman Elementary, Groveland Elementary and Tohickon Middle School.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
