BELVEDERE, DE – A Delaware firefighter who served as chief for the Belvedere Volunteer Fire Company has been arrested for the rape of a 15-year-old girl.
According to an investigation conducted by the Delaware State Police, Dwayne Pearson, 39, of Belvedere, was arrested and charged after a monthlong investigation.
Investigators allege Pearson had a sexual relationship with the 15-year-old girl.
Today, the Belvedere Belvedere Volunteer Fire Company expressed their apologies to the girl’s family, saying the department cooperated fully with the state investigation.
“Belvedere Volunteer Fire Company has fully cooperated with the Delaware State Police since the beginning of this investigation, and we will continue to do so. Once we received notification of the impending criminal investigation, we suspended Dwayne Pearson, and we then promptly terminated his membership from the fire company after his arrest,” the department said in a statement. “We want to reassure the public that we hold our members accountable for their actions and that we remain committed to public safety. Belvedere Volunteer Fire Company stands with the victim, her family, and the community as we deal with this unconscionable act.”
Pearson was charged with rape sexual abuse of a child by a person of trust, and unlawful sexual contact with a person under 18 years of age. All three charges are felonies.
Pearson was arraigned by the Justice of the Peace Court #2 and committed to the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution on a $92,000 cash bond.
Pearson is no longer a member of the Belvedere Fire Company.