EMT/chief’s wife arrested for sexting with junior firefighter in Delaware County, PA
Rose Quinn, Delaware County Daily Times:
A 30-year-old Norwood woman surrendered Monday on charges of having inappropriate contact with a 17-year-old male that included the exchange of sexually explicit photographs as recently as Feb. 17.
Melissa Givens, a Norwood EMT who is married to the chief of the Norwood Fire Department, is free on $300,000 unsecured bail set by Magisterial District Judge Gregory Loftus at a preliminary arraignment Monday afternoon, according to authorities and online court records. She is a resident of the 200 block of East Cleveland Avenue.
Charges filed against Givens and approved by Delaware County Deputy District Attorney Michael Galantino include five counts each of possession of child pornography, unlawful contact with a minor involving obscene and other sexual materials and performances, criminal use of a communication facility, dissemination of explicit sexual material and corruption of minors.
On February 26, police
interviewed a 17-year-old junior firefighter who told investigators he and Givens had exchanged nude photos and videos. Officials found eight sexually explicit photos and two sexually explicit videos of Givens on the teen’s electronic devices, according to an affidavit. The teen also told investigators he had sent sexually explicit images of himself to Givens as well even though she knew he was under the age of 18, officials said.
Later that day, police interviewed Givens who allegedly admitted she knew the teen was a minor and that he attended school. She also said she started “getting serious” with the teen in December 2015 and was still in contact with him up to that point, according to the affidavit.
Givens told investigators the two exchanged sexually explicit pictures and videos that she saved inside a “PhotoVault” application on her phone, according to police. Givens allegedly said she did a Google search on whether or not she should be communicating with a minor but didn’t remember the results. She also told investigators she had sexually explicit conversations with the teen, according to officials.
The fire company is aware of the charges and situation involving a former employee. The EMT involved is no longer…
Posted by Norwood Fire Company on Tuesday, March 8, 2016
She turned herself in Monday and released on $300,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is set for March 15, according to court records.
The fire company posted a statement on its Facebook page saying Givens had been fired and suspended from all department activity.
“At this point, we have no indication that any of the illegal activities were performed while the former employee was on duty at the firehouse or participating in any fire company activity, or while on fire company property,” the statement said.
