The former Cheltenham Township assistant fire marshal, who was also the former fire chief of La Mott Fire Co. in Elkins Park, has pleaded guilty to felony counts of criminal attempt involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by force, burglary, and criminal attempt to commit burglary last week in Montgomery County court and awaits sentencing next year.
Albert Sergio Jr., 60, of West Walnut Street, Souderton, attempted to sexually assault a woman, who was able to escape and was saved by North Penn Water Authority employees, according to the criminal affidavit.
Sergio was originally charged in May with 25 offenses, including two felony counts each of attempted rape by force and attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by force, and felony counts of attempted sexual assault, attempted aggravated indecent assault without consent, attempted aggravated indecent assault by force, attempted aggravated indecent assault by threat, criminal trespassing-breaking into a structure, attempted criminal trespassing, fleeing to avoid apprehension, burglary of an occupied structure, and attempted burglary of a building, according to charging documents.
Sergio was also charged with misdemeanor counts of indecent assault (two), indecent assault of a victim with mental deficiencies, indecent exposure, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint (two), terroristic threats, simple assault, attempted simple assault by menace, possession of a weapon, and criminal mischief, according to charging documents.
All charges, but the three Sergio pleaded to, were dismissed by prosecutors at a pre-trial hearing Nov. 5, according to court records.
He remains at Montgomery County jail on $300,000 cash bail.
According to 6abc, Sergio, at one time, was affiliated with Perseverance Fire Co. of Souderton.
On April 25, 2025, at 9:25 a.m., Souderton Police were dispatched via a 911 caller to a West Walnut Street home for a report of an armed subject that attacked the caller, according to the affidavit. The caller told police they were able to escape the house and run across the street, but the subject remained inside the home, and he was naked, drunk and armed with a knife, police said.
Upon arrival, police found the victim safe inside a North Penn Water Authority truck, along with witnesses who saw the victim flee the house, according to the complaint.
Upon searching the home, officers found that Sergio was no longer inside. However, there was damage to a bathroom door and a large kitchen knife was found on the master bedroom floor, police said. The victim later told detectives that Sergio appeared in the home’s hallway, completely nude and holding a 12-inch knife, police said.
The victim screamed and Sergio held his finger to his mouth and said, “Shhhh.” Police said the victim was able to flee into a bathroom and hold the door shut, but to no avail, as Sergio forced it open. He then wedged himself in the door and led the victim to a bedroom at knifepoint, police said.
Sergio eventually put the knife down, at which time, the victim came behind him, grabbed the knife, and ran to the top of a stairway, detectives said. Then, Sergio grabbed the victim’s torso, and both fell down the stairs to the first landing, with the knife falling on the ground.
Authorities said Sergio recovered, grabbed the knife, forced the victim into a bedroom, and forced them to perform sexual acts. During the attempted sexual assault, Sergio put the knife down again, at which time, the victim backed out of the room and fled from the house, with Sergio on their heels, according to the affidavit. Once outside, Sergio stopped chasing the victim, police said.
As the victim fled out to the street, two NPWA employees working nearby, heard screaming, approached the victim and secured them in their truck, where the victim called 911, police said.
During an interview with detectives, the victim said Sergio tried several times to force them on the bed, however they resisted, police said.
The victim told police that Sergio sent sexual text messages to them a year ago, including a pornographic video.
Meanwhile, at the scene of the crime, police searched for Sergio.
Then, at 11:31 a.m., Souderton Police were dispatched to the 400 block of East Chestnut Street for a burglary, police said.
The property owner told police that, at 10 a.m., Sergio forced entry into the rear of the home by breaking a glass pane, reaching in, unlocking the deadbolt, and opening the door.
Sergio entered the kitchen, according to the complaint, where the homeowner was holding her baby, and repeatedly screamed and yelled for Sergio to leave the home. He complied, and police also searched a next door neighbor’s property, with no luck, police said. However, this neighbor reported to authorities that their home was damaged by Sergio in an attempt to get into the house.
On April 25, at 6:07 p.m., Sergio was eventually taken into custody after being found hiding in the woods along the 3500 block of State Road in Bucks County, police said.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
