Allegheny Township investigators say the suspect also inappropriately touched the child during an overnight stay.
ALLEGHENY TOWNSHIP, PA — A Westmoreland County man was arrested Jan. 14 after police said he offered $5,000 to buy a 6-year-old girl from her mother and inappropriately touched the child while babysitting at a home on Gene Drive. The man, identified by police as 44-year-old Theodore Magee, was denied bail and booked into the Westmoreland County Prison.
Authorities say the case matters now because it centers on an alleged attempt to purchase a child and on accusations of sexual contact with a girl younger than 13. Allegheny Township police and the Westmoreland County District Attorney’s Office describe an investigation that stretched for months and culminated with a slate of felony and misdemeanor charges. Prosecutors say the arrest moves the case into the court system while detectives review phone evidence and statements. The stakes include potential trafficking-related penalties and child-protection concerns for the neighborhood where the sleepover took place.
According to police, the incident began when Magee was asked to watch the child overnight at a residence on the 100 block of Gene Drive in Allegheny Township. Investigators say the girl later told them that while the two were sleeping on an air mattress, the man put his hands inside her pants and underwear. Detectives said the child’s mother reported receiving a text message from Magee offering to pay $5,000 to “purchase” the child. Police interviewed Magee, who, according to a criminal complaint, said he hugged the girl while they shared the air mattress but denied sexual contact. Officers said he voluntarily showed them messages and short videos in which he referred to the child as his girlfriend.
Detectives served a search warrant on Magee’s phone and reported finding photos and videos of the girl, according to the complaint. Police said the girl’s mother described Magee as a family friend who had been trusted to watch the child. Investigators noted that the initial contact with authorities began months earlier and that they compiled statements, electronic records and interviews before filing charges this week. Allegheny Township Police Chief Daniel Uncapher said the arrest capped a lengthy process. “These cases can sometimes be long and drawn out,” Uncapher said, adding that he was pleased to see the case reach the point of charges and that the suspect is in the county jail pending court proceedings.
Police said the alleged assault was disclosed during the spring, with the mother telling officers in April that her daughter said Magee touched her at his Gene Drive home. In the same period, investigators said they documented the text offer to buy the child for $5,000. Officers said they recovered messages and videos in which Magee used terms of endearment for the child and called her his girlfriend. Detectives documented the address as 108 Gene Drive and described the bedroom arrangement in which an air mattress was used. They said the child’s statement was taken in a recorded interview and that her description of the contact was consistent across follow-up conversations. Police did not release the name of the girl or her mother, citing the child’s age.
Records filed with the case show Magee is charged with aggravated indecent assault, attempted aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault of a victim younger than 13, trafficking in persons, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children and interference with custody of children. Police and prosecutors said additional counts could be considered as forensic review of the phone continues. Officials said some elements of the investigation remain unknown, including how often the child had stayed overnight at the home and whether any images were shared beyond the device that was seized. Detectives said no other victims have been identified at this stage.
Allegheny Township is a community in Westmoreland County about 30 miles northeast of downtown Pittsburgh. Police said the case began with a call Magee made to them regarding a separate matter involving the 6-year-old and another child. Investigators said that account prompted further questions that led them to collect statements, obtain a warrant for the cellphone and request assistance from the district attorney’s office. Court records reviewed by local reporters show Magee has faced prior criminal matters unrelated to this child, including assault and harassment in a separate case last year. Those records were cited by police only as background and were not included in the current charging documents.
After his arrest on Jan. 14, officers transported Magee to the Westmoreland County Prison. A magistrate denied bail the same day, according to police. Arraignment occurred shortly after the complaint was filed, and a preliminary hearing will be scheduled in district court in Westmoreland County. Prosecutors said they have notified child-protection agencies and will follow routine protocols for coordinating victim services. Investigators said they will continue to examine the phone and any cloud backups for additional evidence and will prepare subpoena requests for service providers if needed. Authorities said they expect to confer with the girl’s family ahead of any court appearance and to provide updates when the hearing date is set.
Neighbors on Gene Drive described a quiet residential street of single-family homes. One resident who asked not to be named said police cars were seen on the block during parts of the investigation. Uncapher called the allegations disturbing. “It’s disturbing, to say the least,” he said in a television interview, noting that investigators still had hours of electronic material to review. He added that the arrest brought a measure of relief to officers who had worked the case since the spring. The district attorney’s office said it is standard practice to remind the public that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.
As of Sunday afternoon, the suspect remained in the county jail with bail denied. Investigators said the next milestone is a preliminary hearing to determine whether the charges will be held for trial. Police said additional updates will be released when the court sets that date and when forensic analysis of the seized phone is complete.
Author note: Last updated January 18, 2026.