Bradford County District Attorney Arrested
Chad Salsman, District Attorney for Bradford County, was arrested on February 3rd by Pennsylvania State Police and charged as follows: 3 counts for sexual assault, 12 for witness/victim intimidation, 2 for promoting or encouraging prostitution, 2 for obstruction of law, and 5 for indecent assault. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced the charges in a press conference at the Bradford County Courthouse after they were handed down by the 45th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury. Shapiro said that Salsman has been investigated for "routinely assaulting women that he represented as a private attorney," prior to being elected as District Attorney in 2020. His bail was set at $500,000. He paid the required 10%, and was released later the same day as the arrest.
Shapiro stated that, “Five women, independent of one another, experienced the same pattern of advances, coercion, and assault at the hands of Mr. Salsman when he was a defense attorney. They had to rely on Salsman to be their advocate, to represent them at a time they felt powerless, and instead they were preyed upon.” He also stated that “Salsman picked these victims because they didn’t have any other choice, because he thought they would be easy to silence, and less likely to be believed if they ever came forward."
According to the Sayre Morning Times, Salsman is a 1994 graduate of Wyalusing Valley High School and holds degrees from Lehigh University and the Widener University School of Law. He is the the founder and owner of the Law Office of Chad M. Salsman. He started his career in the Adams County District Attorney’s office before returning to Bradford County and working in private practice as a defense attorney. Married for 15 years to his wife, Susan, the Salsmans are the parents of three young daughters and reside together in Wyalusing Township. Salsman has been an active member of his community, serving for over 12 years on the Wyalusing School Board and he is currently its president. He represents Wyalusing Township on the Bradford County Republican Committee, serving at times as secretary and chairman of the committee. Salsman is a co-vice chairman of the Bradford County Pennsylvanians for Human Life, a local pro-life organization. He also serves as vice-chairman of the missions committee in his capacity as a member of Braintrim Baptist Church.
When campaigning for the DA position in 2019, Salsman responded to a questionnaire from the local newspaper that, “I want both my family and yours to feel safe living in Bradford County. I will be a tough but fair district attorney who always seeks justice for crime victims while protecting our constitutional rights.”
Below is the complete text of the report from the grand jury. It is explicit. Under the law that Salsman swore to protect, he is innocent until proven guilty.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRODUCTION :
We, the members of the Forty-Fifth Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, having received and reviewed evidence regarding violations of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code occurring in Bradford County, Pennsylvania pursuant to Notice of Submission of Investigation No. 44, do hereby make the following findings of fact and recommendation of charges.
OVERVIEW:
OVERVIEW:
The Grand Jury conducted an investigation into sexual assaults committed by Chad Salsman (“Salsman’) who was sworn in as the District Attorney of Bradford County in January 2020. The matter was submitted to the Grand Jury following a referral to the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General in late 2019 by then-District Attorney Daniel Barrett, who cited a conflict of interest. It was determined that while he was engaged in private practice, Salsman repeatedly used his position to pressure vulnerable female clients into sexual contact at his law office located at 12 Park Street in Towanda. The Grand Jury recommends that Salsman be charged with sexual and other offenses involving five different women. While evidence before the Grand Jury indicated that many other women were placed in the same position, those events occurred outside the statute of limitations and therefore cannot serve as the basis of criminal charges. As detailed below, the Grand Jury finds that Salsman abused the power and the authority of his position as an attorney.
FINDINGS OF FACT:
Following his graduation from the Widener University School of Law, Salsman began practicing law in 2001. During his years of private practice. he represented numerous women in connection with criminal cases or in child custody matters. Many of Salsman’s clients struggled with addictions, had a history of being sexually abused, or suffered from other vulnerabilities which Salsman exploited. He used his knowledge of their vulnerabilities to overcome their lack of consent and sexually assault them. In one case. Salsman assaulted a woman whom he knew had been the victim of a prior violent rape. In another case, Salsman assaulted a woman who faced incarceration if Salsman did not help her.
In most cases, Salsman had sex with the women on his office desk and then directed them to his private bathroom to “clean up” using paper towels or cleaning wipes. He directed them not to tell anyone about the assaults and, in one case, even suggested to a woman that she should not cooperate with this investigation. The details of the assaults, threats and intimidation are set forth below.
L.J. :
L.J. retained Salsman to represent her in 2017 on charges of harassment and possession of drug paraphernalia. He did not bill L.J. for the total services rendered, however. Instead, Salsman requested that she provide nude photographs or videos depicting sexual acts between L.J. and her girlfriend. L.J, complied.
On numerous occasions, Salsman grabbed the breasts or buttocks of L.J. without her consent while she was present in his law office. On one occasion, he led her to his desk and directed her to disrobe. Salsman then inserted his penis into L.J.’s vagina and licked her vagina without her consent. In an attempt to explain that she did not want to have sex with Salsman, L.J. told him that she was gay. This did not stop Salsman from proceeding.
As Salsman continued to penetrate her - - while chastising her for not displaying pleasure – L.J. received a text message from her girlfriend inquiring “what was taking so long” at Salsman’s office. L.J. texted back, but did not tell her girlfriend what was occurring. “I was too ashamed.” Salsman, seemingly undisturbed by the texting, continued to copulate. Afterwards, he instructed L.J. to tell no one. She had to rub off his ejaculate with cleaning wipes in his private office bathroom.
L.J. testified that she went home in tears and immediately showered. L.J. stated, “My girlfriend kept asking me what was so wrong and why I was quiet. I told her nothing. I was fine. I wouldn't tell her. She knew something wasn’t right.”
L.J.’s girlfriend also testified before the Grand Jury. She recalled the incident and stated that while she did not know what had occurred, she recalled L.J. entering their home in distress and then immediately showering. She was aware that L.J. had been meeting with Salsman and suspected something had happened during that time. She stated that L.J. has never told her the details as to what occurred.
H.H. :
In December 2017, Salsman was court-appointed to represent H.H. in a child custody matter. In the course of representing H.H., Salsman made suggestive comments and would touch her under the table during court proceedings. Salsman asked H.H. to have sex with him but she refused. He told her to send videos of her having sex with someone since she refused to have sex with him. When H.H. again refused, Salsman told her that he needed naked pictures because he was not being adequately compensated for his representation. At that point H.H. felt she had no choice and sent nude pictures to Salsman.
On another occasion, Salsman provided H.H. with a video of a nude woman in a bathtub. The Grand Jury identified that woman and obtained her testimony. She explained the circumstances surrounding the creation of the video. She stated that she was suffering from a death in her family and that Salsman had reached out to comfort her. He then began asking for naked pictures and videos of her. She provided Salsman with the video of her nude in the bathtub at his request. Salsman then forwarded the video to H.H. without the consent of the woman in the video.
H.H. testified that Salsman revealed a steady stream of confidential or private information, on matters “including his cases, his legal cases on other people, pictures of other people, pictures, naked pictures of other clients, of people. I don't know if they were clients or not, his wife, pictures of his kids.” Salsman justified his demands for H.H.’s time, as well as his sexual demands, by complaining about his court appointment to her case. Salsman told her “I don’t get paid for this. I do everything for free.” In reality this assertion, intended to pressure his client into sex, was a lie. Salsman actually was paid for his court-appointed representation with taxpayer's funds in the amount of $2,115.00.
H.H. testified that Salsman told her that he masturbated dozens of times a day. She knew he had “an issue” and she was concerned about his failure to effectively represent her. He sent her pictures of her own residence that he had taken from outside her home and without her knowledge.
In April 2019, H.H. sought new legal counsel and went to Salsman’s office to obtain her file. At that time Salsman forcibly grabbed her breasts while in his private office. H.H. stated that his hands were “around me, onto my breasts, onto my shoulders.” H.H. was able to kick Salsman and leave with her file.
During this investigation, the Grand Jury reviewed evidence that H.H. met with Salsman, after he became the District Attorney of Bradford County, while she was wearing a recording device monitored by the Pennsylvania State Police. Between January and March 2020. Salsman provided H.H. with legal advice regarding her participation in this investigation, advising her as though he represented her, even though she already had a lawyer, and even though he himself was the target of the investigation. That advice suggested that H.H. should not cooperate with authorities. Salsman also told H.H. that the investigation must be about him having sex with his clients, but he claimed — despite his unsuccessful assault on H.H. herself — that the sex was all entirely consensual, and the investigation was therefore, in his word, a “witchhunt.”
On December 22, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Salsman’s private law office. Salsman contacted H.H. despite the fact that by this point he knew he was under grand jury investigation, and despite the fact that he was now the District Attorney and therefore himself a law enforcement official. He told her he suspected that the warrant related to her, asked her why the warrant had been issued, and pressed her for any information she had disclosed.
A.M. :
Salsman began representing A.M. on various legal matters when she was 19 years old, He represented her in connection with a child custody matter and, on another occasion, he represented her boyfriend with respect to a child custody matter. In both instances, A.M. and/or her boyfriend paid for the legal services provided. In May 2018, A.M. contacted Salsman regarding her arrest for driving under the influence. Salsman told her that she faced jail time for the offense. A.M. advised that she did not have the money to hire Salsman because she had been out of work for six months.
A.M. testified that once Salsman learned she was having financial difficulties. he began “coming onto” her. She stated that she felt as though she had no choice in the face of being sent io jail. Salsman told A.M. that “his wife wasn’t giving him what he needed at home.”
Salsman had sex with A.M. without her consent on his desk in his private law office, Afterwards, he directed her to clean up in his private bathroom using paper towels. In her own words, A.M. testified that, “he would always remove the stuff on his desk, and he would have sex with me there. And then I would have to go into the bathroom and clean before I left.” During legal meetings, Salsman also touched A.M.’s breasts and buttocks without her consent. Salsman made her perform oral sex on him and engaged in vaginal sex with her on numerous occasions. She paid almost nothing for legal services. A.M. testified that Salsman “would tell me I would be okay when it came to my DUI, and that I could take my time and make just random payments here and there so (REDACTED) his secretary would not think nothing.” After state police contacted her about this investigation, Salsman repeatedly pushed her to get information from other women about anything they may have revealed to authorities. He told her never to disclose what had occurred and indicated that he could help her if he became the District Attorney.
A.M. testified. “He told me once he got into the D.A.’s position that everything I owed him was no longer an issue and it would be harder for him to have me come see him with him being D.A.” Salsman had sex with A.M. one final time atter he was elected district attorney in November 2019.
LW. :
In her appearance before the Grand Jury, L.W. explained that Salsman represented her boyfriend. Salsman had also represented another man, who had previously sexually assaulted L.W. L.W. informed Salsman that his former client had raped her. According to L.W., Salsman had no visible reaction. In the course of his representation of her boyfriend, L.W. was in Salsman’s presence on several occasions while attending legal meetings. Salsman also hired L.W. and her boyfriend to do repair or remodeling work at his private law office, and loaned her money.
In October 2018, L.W. stopped by Salsman’s law office to drop off her last repayment of the loan. Salsman instructed her to come in through the back door which led directly into his private office. Upon entering, Salsman took the money and directed L.W. to undress. L.W. testified that Salsman “told me he wanted to see what they (her breasts) looked like because he said that they were big through my shirt.” Her prior rape had been violent and Salsman knew about it. She testified that she was too afraid to resist again. So she complied with his demand. She testified, “He started licking my vagina... and then pulled me down closer to the edge (of the desk) when he was done and had sex with me.” After the assault, Salsman directed her to his private bathroom to clean up using paper towels. Later, he contacted her and told her not to breathe a word to anyone, or he would ruin her life.
FINDINGS OF FACT:
Following his graduation from the Widener University School of Law, Salsman began practicing law in 2001. During his years of private practice. he represented numerous women in connection with criminal cases or in child custody matters. Many of Salsman’s clients struggled with addictions, had a history of being sexually abused, or suffered from other vulnerabilities which Salsman exploited. He used his knowledge of their vulnerabilities to overcome their lack of consent and sexually assault them. In one case. Salsman assaulted a woman whom he knew had been the victim of a prior violent rape. In another case, Salsman assaulted a woman who faced incarceration if Salsman did not help her.
In most cases, Salsman had sex with the women on his office desk and then directed them to his private bathroom to “clean up” using paper towels or cleaning wipes. He directed them not to tell anyone about the assaults and, in one case, even suggested to a woman that she should not cooperate with this investigation. The details of the assaults, threats and intimidation are set forth below.
L.J. :
L.J. retained Salsman to represent her in 2017 on charges of harassment and possession of drug paraphernalia. He did not bill L.J. for the total services rendered, however. Instead, Salsman requested that she provide nude photographs or videos depicting sexual acts between L.J. and her girlfriend. L.J, complied.
On numerous occasions, Salsman grabbed the breasts or buttocks of L.J. without her consent while she was present in his law office. On one occasion, he led her to his desk and directed her to disrobe. Salsman then inserted his penis into L.J.’s vagina and licked her vagina without her consent. In an attempt to explain that she did not want to have sex with Salsman, L.J. told him that she was gay. This did not stop Salsman from proceeding.
As Salsman continued to penetrate her - - while chastising her for not displaying pleasure – L.J. received a text message from her girlfriend inquiring “what was taking so long” at Salsman’s office. L.J. texted back, but did not tell her girlfriend what was occurring. “I was too ashamed.” Salsman, seemingly undisturbed by the texting, continued to copulate. Afterwards, he instructed L.J. to tell no one. She had to rub off his ejaculate with cleaning wipes in his private office bathroom.
L.J. testified that she went home in tears and immediately showered. L.J. stated, “My girlfriend kept asking me what was so wrong and why I was quiet. I told her nothing. I was fine. I wouldn't tell her. She knew something wasn’t right.”
L.J.’s girlfriend also testified before the Grand Jury. She recalled the incident and stated that while she did not know what had occurred, she recalled L.J. entering their home in distress and then immediately showering. She was aware that L.J. had been meeting with Salsman and suspected something had happened during that time. She stated that L.J. has never told her the details as to what occurred.
H.H. :
In December 2017, Salsman was court-appointed to represent H.H. in a child custody matter. In the course of representing H.H., Salsman made suggestive comments and would touch her under the table during court proceedings. Salsman asked H.H. to have sex with him but she refused. He told her to send videos of her having sex with someone since she refused to have sex with him. When H.H. again refused, Salsman told her that he needed naked pictures because he was not being adequately compensated for his representation. At that point H.H. felt she had no choice and sent nude pictures to Salsman.
On another occasion, Salsman provided H.H. with a video of a nude woman in a bathtub. The Grand Jury identified that woman and obtained her testimony. She explained the circumstances surrounding the creation of the video. She stated that she was suffering from a death in her family and that Salsman had reached out to comfort her. He then began asking for naked pictures and videos of her. She provided Salsman with the video of her nude in the bathtub at his request. Salsman then forwarded the video to H.H. without the consent of the woman in the video.
H.H. testified that Salsman revealed a steady stream of confidential or private information, on matters “including his cases, his legal cases on other people, pictures of other people, pictures, naked pictures of other clients, of people. I don't know if they were clients or not, his wife, pictures of his kids.” Salsman justified his demands for H.H.’s time, as well as his sexual demands, by complaining about his court appointment to her case. Salsman told her “I don’t get paid for this. I do everything for free.” In reality this assertion, intended to pressure his client into sex, was a lie. Salsman actually was paid for his court-appointed representation with taxpayer's funds in the amount of $2,115.00.
H.H. testified that Salsman told her that he masturbated dozens of times a day. She knew he had “an issue” and she was concerned about his failure to effectively represent her. He sent her pictures of her own residence that he had taken from outside her home and without her knowledge.
In April 2019, H.H. sought new legal counsel and went to Salsman’s office to obtain her file. At that time Salsman forcibly grabbed her breasts while in his private office. H.H. stated that his hands were “around me, onto my breasts, onto my shoulders.” H.H. was able to kick Salsman and leave with her file.
During this investigation, the Grand Jury reviewed evidence that H.H. met with Salsman, after he became the District Attorney of Bradford County, while she was wearing a recording device monitored by the Pennsylvania State Police. Between January and March 2020. Salsman provided H.H. with legal advice regarding her participation in this investigation, advising her as though he represented her, even though she already had a lawyer, and even though he himself was the target of the investigation. That advice suggested that H.H. should not cooperate with authorities. Salsman also told H.H. that the investigation must be about him having sex with his clients, but he claimed — despite his unsuccessful assault on H.H. herself — that the sex was all entirely consensual, and the investigation was therefore, in his word, a “witchhunt.”
On December 22, 2020, a search warrant was executed at Salsman’s private law office. Salsman contacted H.H. despite the fact that by this point he knew he was under grand jury investigation, and despite the fact that he was now the District Attorney and therefore himself a law enforcement official. He told her he suspected that the warrant related to her, asked her why the warrant had been issued, and pressed her for any information she had disclosed.
A.M. :
Salsman began representing A.M. on various legal matters when she was 19 years old, He represented her in connection with a child custody matter and, on another occasion, he represented her boyfriend with respect to a child custody matter. In both instances, A.M. and/or her boyfriend paid for the legal services provided. In May 2018, A.M. contacted Salsman regarding her arrest for driving under the influence. Salsman told her that she faced jail time for the offense. A.M. advised that she did not have the money to hire Salsman because she had been out of work for six months.
A.M. testified that once Salsman learned she was having financial difficulties. he began “coming onto” her. She stated that she felt as though she had no choice in the face of being sent io jail. Salsman told A.M. that “his wife wasn’t giving him what he needed at home.”
Salsman had sex with A.M. without her consent on his desk in his private law office, Afterwards, he directed her to clean up in his private bathroom using paper towels. In her own words, A.M. testified that, “he would always remove the stuff on his desk, and he would have sex with me there. And then I would have to go into the bathroom and clean before I left.” During legal meetings, Salsman also touched A.M.’s breasts and buttocks without her consent. Salsman made her perform oral sex on him and engaged in vaginal sex with her on numerous occasions. She paid almost nothing for legal services. A.M. testified that Salsman “would tell me I would be okay when it came to my DUI, and that I could take my time and make just random payments here and there so (REDACTED) his secretary would not think nothing.” After state police contacted her about this investigation, Salsman repeatedly pushed her to get information from other women about anything they may have revealed to authorities. He told her never to disclose what had occurred and indicated that he could help her if he became the District Attorney.
A.M. testified. “He told me once he got into the D.A.’s position that everything I owed him was no longer an issue and it would be harder for him to have me come see him with him being D.A.” Salsman had sex with A.M. one final time atter he was elected district attorney in November 2019.
LW. :
In her appearance before the Grand Jury, L.W. explained that Salsman represented her boyfriend. Salsman had also represented another man, who had previously sexually assaulted L.W. L.W. informed Salsman that his former client had raped her. According to L.W., Salsman had no visible reaction. In the course of his representation of her boyfriend, L.W. was in Salsman’s presence on several occasions while attending legal meetings. Salsman also hired L.W. and her boyfriend to do repair or remodeling work at his private law office, and loaned her money.
In October 2018, L.W. stopped by Salsman’s law office to drop off her last repayment of the loan. Salsman instructed her to come in through the back door which led directly into his private office. Upon entering, Salsman took the money and directed L.W. to undress. L.W. testified that Salsman “told me he wanted to see what they (her breasts) looked like because he said that they were big through my shirt.” Her prior rape had been violent and Salsman knew about it. She testified that she was too afraid to resist again. So she complied with his demand. She testified, “He started licking my vagina... and then pulled me down closer to the edge (of the desk) when he was done and had sex with me.” After the assault, Salsman directed her to his private bathroom to clean up using paper towels. Later, he contacted her and told her not to breathe a word to anyone, or he would ruin her life.
N.A. :
N.A. appeared before the Grand Jury and testified that she retained Salsman to represent her in connection with a child custody matter. She testified that nothing mattered to her more than securing the custody of her children: “Just my kids.” But Salsman. representing her in the most important matter in her life, required little in the way of fees.
Instead. in December 2018. Salsman began touching N.A’s breasts in his office and touching her inappropriately during court proceedings. He then began asking for nude photos of her. She testified, “I was getting up to leave and he touched my breast. I backed up and just kind of —| was taken — | didn’t know how to respond to that.” These instances of contact were without her consent.
Salsman informed N.A. that she could compensate him for his legal work by having sex with him. As he put it. “I could slam your pussy and you wouldn’t have to pay.”
N.A. began a consensual sex-for-services relationship with Salsman. When the relationship soured. however. Salsman became more aggressive and threatening. He told her that as her attorney he could not be in a relationship with her - - making reference to a law book in his office - - and told her to tell no one about what had occurred.
Staff :
Members of Salsman’s staff also appeared before the Grand Jury. These individuals confirmed that Salsman would often meet with female clients in his office one-on-one. Testimony demonstrated that even though Salsman’s legal secretaries had access to all client information, and were covered by the attorney-client privilege, Salsman went to great lengths to keep his interactions with his clients a secret from the staff. Salsman even went so far as to ask secretaries to play music to drown out anything that could be happening in his office and used an air conditioner unit or noise machine to mask any sounds or noise occurring in his office. Female clients were seen leaving Salsman’s office in tears or in distress.
Members of Salsman’s staff, like his clients, were placed in compromised positions by him. One former staffer admitted that she herself had a consensual ongoing sexual relationship with Salsman. Another stated that prior to her testimony, Salsman met with her in his office, and, in his capacity as the District Attorney of Bradford County, directed her to report back to him anything that occurred within the Grand Jury. That witness had been ordered by the Supervising Judge not to disclose her testimony to anyone, however, Salsman later complained about the order of non-disclosure in text messages obtained by the Pennsylvania State Police.
N.A. appeared before the Grand Jury and testified that she retained Salsman to represent her in connection with a child custody matter. She testified that nothing mattered to her more than securing the custody of her children: “Just my kids.” But Salsman. representing her in the most important matter in her life, required little in the way of fees.
Instead. in December 2018. Salsman began touching N.A’s breasts in his office and touching her inappropriately during court proceedings. He then began asking for nude photos of her. She testified, “I was getting up to leave and he touched my breast. I backed up and just kind of —| was taken — | didn’t know how to respond to that.” These instances of contact were without her consent.
Salsman informed N.A. that she could compensate him for his legal work by having sex with him. As he put it. “I could slam your pussy and you wouldn’t have to pay.”
N.A. began a consensual sex-for-services relationship with Salsman. When the relationship soured. however. Salsman became more aggressive and threatening. He told her that as her attorney he could not be in a relationship with her - - making reference to a law book in his office - - and told her to tell no one about what had occurred.
Staff :
Members of Salsman’s staff also appeared before the Grand Jury. These individuals confirmed that Salsman would often meet with female clients in his office one-on-one. Testimony demonstrated that even though Salsman’s legal secretaries had access to all client information, and were covered by the attorney-client privilege, Salsman went to great lengths to keep his interactions with his clients a secret from the staff. Salsman even went so far as to ask secretaries to play music to drown out anything that could be happening in his office and used an air conditioner unit or noise machine to mask any sounds or noise occurring in his office. Female clients were seen leaving Salsman’s office in tears or in distress.
Members of Salsman’s staff, like his clients, were placed in compromised positions by him. One former staffer admitted that she herself had a consensual ongoing sexual relationship with Salsman. Another stated that prior to her testimony, Salsman met with her in his office, and, in his capacity as the District Attorney of Bradford County, directed her to report back to him anything that occurred within the Grand Jury. That witness had been ordered by the Supervising Judge not to disclose her testimony to anyone, however, Salsman later complained about the order of non-disclosure in text messages obtained by the Pennsylvania State Police.
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John L. Ferri
jlferri@epix.net
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