Man convicted of rape charged with sending bribe letters to victim
A man who is serving time for a rape conviction allegedly sent letters to the victim saying rapper Wiz Khalifa and his family would write her “a big check” to free him, police said.
Daaron Anthony Shears, 26, was serving a 10- to 20-year sentence at the State Correctional Institute at Frackville when he allegedly sent the victim three letters beginning in October 2016. He was convicted in July 2012 after a jury trial for raping a then 15-year-old girl on a trail at Mountain Pines RV Resort in Saltlick Township on July 4, 2011. He was ordered to have no contact with the victim.
The Herald-Standard does not identify victims of rape.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in the case, the woman received the first letter at her home address and placed it back in the mail with a “return to sender” note. She received two more letters, one postmarked Oct. 31, 2016, and the last postmarked Feb. 15, 2017. She contacted state police Cpl. Heather Clem-Johnston, who investigated the initial rape case, after receiving the third letter.
“These letters the defendant wrote to the victim claim he is innocent and request the victim to help him,” Clem-Johnston wrote in the affidavit. “The defendant also claims that his family and Wiz Khalifa have been in touch with him and that they would give her and her family a big check to free him.”
Clem-Johnston wrote in the affidavit the letters caused the woman emotional distress and re-victimized her.
Shears is charged with felony counts of retaliation against a victim, stalking and criminal use of a communication facility.
He is currently incarcerated at the State Correctional Institute at Greene.
Charges were filed Friday before Magisterial District Judge Michael Metros.