A girl raped by a former Belvedere deputy fire chief asked him in a courtroom Friday to admit what he did.
Her request was filed shortly before Dwayne L. Pearson Jr. was sentenced to 35 years in prison for raping the girl he met through his work in 2022. She was 15 years old at the time of the incidents.
“Tell the truth now,” she said to the 41-year-old man who wasn’t looking at her, “…so I can find peace in my heart.”
When it was Pearson’s turn to speak, the former firefighter stood and told Supreme Court Justice Calvin L. Scott Jr., “I’m sorry I’m here today.” He added that he would spend his time trying to better himself.
Pearson made no mention of the rape.
Original story: Former Belvedere deputy fire chief accused of raping 15-year-old girl
What investigators said happened
The girl and Pearson met in July 2022 during a joint training operation with another fire department, according to court documents obtained by Delaware Online/The News Journal.
The two met for the second time that month at a fire station. That’s when court documents say Pearson’s conversation with her turned sexual. Some of these conversations took place on social media, including Snapchat.
Their encounter turned physical the following month when the girl allegedly met Pearson, who arrived in his Belvedere Fire Company pickup, according to court records. They would then drive somewhere else where they would have sex.
The girl’s mother learned of a possible relationship between her daughter and Pearson in September 2022. She confronted her daughter, who admitted to the sexual relationship, according to court records.
He was charged with rape, sexual abuse of a child by a counselor and unlawful sexual contact with a person under 18 years of age.
More: The jury finds former Belvedere deputy fire chief guilty of raping a 15-year-old girl
A jury found him guilty of six crimes in January, including rape in the second and fourth degrees.
On Friday, the mother told the court that her family had always seen fire companies as places where people could be safe, but in this case it was “truly a breeding ground for Dwayne Pearson.”
Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or eparra@delawareonline.com.
This article originally appeared in Delaware News Journal: Former Belvedere deputy fire chief sentenced to prison for raping girl
