Latest news with #BrandonRumbaugh
CBS News
11-06-2025
- CBS News
Marine veteran Brandon Rumbaugh appears in court for preliminary hearing
Brandon Rumbaugh, the decorated Marine veteran accused of raping a 13-year-old girl was in court on Wednesday facing a slew of charges. Rumbaugh appeared in a Pleasant Hills courtroom for his preliminary hearing. Three of the charges against him were withdrawn, while the remaining ones were waived to the Court of Common Pleas. Wearing a bright green Allegheny County Jail jumpsuit, Rumbaugh was escorted into court for his first appearance since his arrest. According to his attorney, Rumbaugh missed his bond hearing earlier because jail officials said they couldn't safely transport him. Among the charges dropped were unlawful contact with a minor, sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault, the most serious and potentially time-heavy of the original charges. "Aggravated indecent assault carries a mandatory minimum. It's the only charge in this information that does, and we were successfully able to get it withdrawn," said Rumbaugh's attorney, David Shrager. Shrager says waiving the case to Common Pleas Court was the best-case scenario. "The burden here is extremely light. It is not beyond a reasonable doubt; this is not a trial. We don't get to call witnesses or testify on our own behalf. The Commonwealth presents witnesses, we get to ask a few questions, and that's it. Given that, and the opportunities we have moving forward, this made the most sense," said Shrager. Despite the dropped charges, Rumbaugh still faces several serious allegations, including rape, statutory sexual assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors. "I understand how many people are disappointed because of the level of respect and the accomplishments he's known for, and they're now faced with what are still just allegations," said Shrager. Rumbaugh's next court appearance is scheduled for August.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
Pittsburgh-area war hero heading to trial on child rape accusations
A Pittsburgh-area war hero's rape case is going to trial. Brandon Rumbaugh, a decorated Marine veteran, today waived his preliminary hearing in the case that accuses him of raping a 13-year-old girl multiple times in his Pleasant Hill home. The case will proceed to Rumbaugh's formal arraignment, which is scheduled for Aug. 7. Rumbaugh is a double amputee who lost both of his legs after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan. >>> Pittsburgh-area war hero accused of raping 13-year-old girl << >> Pittsburgh-area war hero accused of raping teenage girl denied bond <<< The girl also noted Rumbaugh didn't have legs, and that on one of the nights, there was another person sleeping in the room while Rumbaugh allegedly sexually assaulted her. According to detectives, Rumbaugh told the victim to keep this a secret until she was 18 years old. Police say there is surveillance video of Rumbaugh and the girl in a Sheetz, where you see Rumbaugh purchasing alcohol. A judge denied Rumbaugh bond May 28. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
CBS News
28-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Brandon Rumbaugh, decorated Marine veteran charged with raping girl, denied bond
Brandon Rumbaugh, a decorated Marine veteran, double amputee and motivational speaker from the Pittsburgh area who is charged with raping a 13-year-old girl, was denied bond at a preliminary hearing on Wednesday. Rumbaugh was charged with several felonies, including rape, sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault, after a 13-year-old girl told police Rumbaugh had sex with her multiple times at his Pleasant Hills home. Attorney says jail isn't "equipped" to deal with Rumbaugh's injury Rumbaugh wasn't present in court because his attorney David Shrager said the jail couldn't get him there. Rumbaugh lost his legs in Afghanistan when he stepped on an IED, and Shrager says Rumbaugh is being held in the Allegheny County Jail without his prosthetic legs. "That's one of the difficulties that we're facing here. We're dealing with someone who's a double amputee, who has special medical needs and medication needs, and quite frankly, I don't know that the jail is really capable of handling that in the appropriate way," Shrager said. "You saw they weren't even able to bring him here safely today. So he was not here today in court to be here, because the jail felt they couldn't bring him here safely because they're not equipped to deal with someone with such a traumatic war injury." Court paperwork details allegations During an interview, the victim told police that when she spent two nights at Rumbaugh's home, he sexually assaulted her a total of four times, according to the criminal complaint. One time, she told police Rumbaugh bought her alcoholic iced tea, which she drank before they had sex, "but she didn't feel like herself." Police said Rumbaugh told the victim "to keep this a secret until she was eighteen years old," according to court paperwork. Community shocked by charges After Rumbaugh was injured in Afghanistan, he returned to the Pittsburgh area and became a motivational speaker. He was also recognized by the U.S. Marines with a Commendation Medal for valor. The charges came as a shock to some community members who said they had thought of him as a "hero." Shrager said Rumbaugh will be in court for the next preliminary hearing and the judge has made special requests to make sure his disability can be accommodated.
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Decorated double amputee former Marine, 36, is charged with heinous act on 13-year-old girl
A heavily-decorated former Marine who lost both his legs in Afghanistan has been charged with repeatedly raping a 13-year-old girl. Brandon Rumbaugh, 34, was charged on Tuesday for the vile acts he allegedly committed while the victim slept over at his home in Pleasant Hills, Pennsylvania. Police launched an investigation into the sickening claims on May 5 after receiving a report from a child protective agency. The girl told cops Rumbaugh, a well known motivational speaker, is family friend who she has known since she was 10. When she turned 11 or 12, the father-of-two allegedly started contacting her over the phone. The abuse began when she turned 13 and started staying over at his house, where he gave her alcohol and forced her into sex, she told detectives. She reportedly stayed at Rumbaugh's home three times in April. He did not attack her the first night, she said. They went to the gym and watched military movies. But he allegedly raped her twice each night the second and third times she stayed at his house. He once gave her alcoholic iced tea before he assaulted her, she claims. Describing how the liquor affected her, she said 'she didn't feel like herself,' the criminal complaint reads. She also slept in the same bed as the accused predator on one occasion, with another person sleeping across the hall, police said. Rumbaugh had tried to scare her into silence, allegedly telling her to 'to keep this a secret until she was eighteen years old'. The former marine is now facing a slew of charges including rape, statutory sexual assault and furnishing alcohol to minors. He was arrested and is being held in jail without bond. Rumbaugh is due in court on Wednesday. His Pittsburgh-area community members are now grappling with the shocking news after he was for years treated as a hero for his military service. Uniontown resident Jenn Smith told CBS: 'He's supposed to be a positive person for this community and now this is coming out.' She added: 'It teaches us we need to be a little more careful with our babies.' Another woman said on Facebook: 'Hopefully he gets what he deserves for something so horrible.' She added: 'We need to protect our children and send this message that this will not be tolerated.' 'Hey just wanted to pop by and say I hope you go to prison forever. Best of luck,' someone commented under one of Rumbaugh's Instagram posts. Rumbaugh lost both his legs after stepping on a landmine while carrying another Marine to safety in 2009. 'I had to learn to be independent at 21 years old, starting a whole new life without either of my legs,' he told The Daily Nebraskan in 2018. 'My life wasn't over, but I had to find a new path.' He went on to become a motivational speaker and the CEO of Action Conquers Terror. Aside from being celebrated on multiple occasions, he was recognized by the US Marines with a Commendation Medal for valor.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Yahoo
Double amputee ex-Marine Brandon Rumbaugh accused of raping 13-year-old
Motivational speaker and former Marine Brandon Rumbaugh, who lost both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan, has been accused of repeatedly raping a teen at his Pittsburgh-area home. Authorities launched an investigation into Rumbaugh earlier this month, after a 13-year-old girl came forward with the allegations against him. She described Rumbaugh as a family friend during interviews with law enforcement, telling them she'd known him since she was 10 years old, according to a criminal complaint obtained by WPXI. She added that they started communicating by phone not long after, when she was 11 or 12. The teen also recalled three separate occasions when she spent the night at Rumbaugh's home in in Pleasant Hills. On the first night, nothing happened, she said, but she alleged Rumbaugh raped her the next two times, twice each night. According to the criminal complaint, Rumbaugh bought alcoholic iced tea for the teen, which she said she drank before the assault, adding 'she didn't feel like herself' at the time. The former Marine also allegedly told her to keep the encounters 'a secret until she was eighteen years old,' according to the court documents. In 2009, Rumbaugh lost both legs after he stepped on an IED in Afghanistan while helping another Marine to safety. He's been heralded as a war hero and recognized by the U.S. Marines with a Commendation Medal for valor. He is also the CEO of ACT — which stands for Action Conquers Terror — Motivational Speaking, a company through which he shares his story with the likes of sports teams, Fortune 500 companies, and students. Rumbaugh is facing multiple charges, including rape, sexual assault, indecent assault and aggravated indecent assault. He remained in jail on Friday without bond.
