Former city cop gets up to 57 years for raping girls while on duty in the 1990s
Lancaster, PA – A former Lancaster city police officer will spend up to 57 years behind bars after a judge sentenced him for raping and sexually assaulting multiple underage girls while serving on the force in the 1990s.
Andrew Scott Selby, 56, of Pequea Township, was convicted in June of seven felony charges, including rape of a child under 13, sexual assault, and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. On Thursday, Senior Judge William P. Mahon handed down a sentence of 22½ to 57 years in prison, calling Selby’s conduct “insidious” and a betrayal of his sworn duty as an officer.
The victims, three girls who were minors at the time of the assaults, were targeted by Selby during his time as a city police officer. One of them was raped by Selby just one week after reporting being raped by another man — a case Selby was assigned to investigate.
The judge told Selby that the sentence should serve as a message to both police officers and the public that abusing a position of public trust carries severe consequences. He also addressed the shocking nature of the case, stating that he had never seen anything like Selby’s exploitation of a victim he was sworn to protect.
The assaults took place in the 1990s but were not prosecuted until recently, after a renewed investigation led by Lancaster City Bureau of Police Detective Jessica Higgins. Selby was arrested and charged after victims came forward decades later, and a three-day trial in June resulted in guilty verdicts on all counts.
During sentencing, one victim told the court that Selby’s abuse deepened the trauma she already carried, having come from a background of family instability. Another victim wrote in a statement that Selby had failed her both as an officer and as a human being. Prosecutors read the letter aloud, describing the long-term emotional toll caused by Selby’s crimes.
Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lapp, who prosecuted the case along with Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick, described Selby’s actions as deeply callous and emphasized that he preyed on already vulnerable girls. A psychologist who assessed Selby during the trial described him as a pathological liar.
Though Selby did not speak in court, two friends defended his character, claiming the man they knew was not capable of such acts. However, the judge dismissed these portrayals, saying Selby had maintained a double life that masked his true behavior.
Selby was officially designated a Sexually Violent Predator prior to sentencing. He will serve his sentence in state prison and must register as a sex offender for life.
The courtroom was filled with over a dozen officers from the Lancaster City Bureau of Police who came to witness the sentencing of a former colleague. Judge Mahon commended the investigators, prosecutors, and officers who supported the victims and ensured the case moved forward.
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Key Points
- Former Lancaster police officer Andrew Selby sentenced to up to 57 years for child sex crimes
- Selby assaulted three girls in the 1990s while serving as a city officer
- Victims came forward years later, resulting in a full conviction and lengthy prison term