Jonathan Porter Jackson Guilty Of Raping 6-Year-Old Girl: DA

A man without a home will spend up to two decades in state prison after admitting he raped a 6-year-old girl he was caring for in Lancaster, authorities announced on Monday, July 15.

Jonathan Porter Jackson

Jonathan Porter Jackson, 31, was sentenced to 10 to 20 years behind bars by Lancaster County Judge Thomas Sponaugle after pleading guilty on Monday, July 8, to eight charges, including:

• Felony Rape of a Child.
• Felony Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse with a Child.
• Felony Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse by Forcible Compulsion.
• Felony Unlawful Contact with a Minor.

Jackson assaulted the child in the 500 block of West Orange Street sometime in August 2020, while in a caregiving role, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.

The case surfaced in October 2023, after a tip prompted investigators to look into the abuse. Jackson was located by police in May 2024 and eventually confessed after initially denying the assaults, the DA’s Office said.

Before the sentencing, the now 6-year-old victim had a letter read aloud in court asking Jackson why he raped her. She wrote that she now fears for her siblings’ safety and feels uncomfortable around men, including those in her own family. She said she wanted him “out of my life.”

Judge Sponaugle called Jackson’s actions “absolutely disgusting” and praised the victim for her courage in attending the sentencing. Jackson, who declined to speak in court, was seen nodding his head “no” as the charges were read and had to be prompted twice before pleading guilty.

The victim’s father and stepmother also addressed the court, saying the abuse stole the child’s innocence and that they hoped Jackson never harms anyone again.

Jackson will be required to register as a sex offender for life, and the Pennsylvania Sexual Offenders Assessment Board will evaluate whether he qualifies as a sexually violent predator, the release notes.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick and investigated by Lancaster City Bureau of Police Detective Jared Snader.