Oil City Man Jailed for Allegedly Sexually Abusing Young Child Multiple Times

OIL CITY, Pa. (EYT) – A local man is behind bars with bail denied for allegedly sexually abusing a young child multiple times in Cranberry Township and Oil City.

Court documents indicate that Franklin-based State Police filed criminal charges against 19-year-old Donovan Kyle Kightlinger, of Oil City, on Monday, March 13, in Magisterial District Judge Andrew F. Fish’s office.

According to a criminal complaint, police received a CY-104 form from Venango County CYS on October 17, 2022, and a criminal investigation was initiated as a result.

On November 18, 2022, a forensic interview was conducted with the victim; the interview was recorded and burned onto a disc.

The victim related the following during the forensic interview.

When the victim was younger, Donovan Kightlinger lived with him and his family in Cranberry Township, Venango County. The victim related he was sexually assaulted by Kightlinger on several occasions while he lived there, the complaint states.

When the victim was asked what happened, he stated Kightlinger pulled down his pants and had sexual intercourse with him, the complaint indicates.

The victim believed Kightlinger was around 16 or 17 at the time, but he wasn’t sure, the complaint indicates.

The victim was asked if Kightlinger did it one time, two times, or more than that, to which the victim stated “more than that.” He further stated that it happened approximately five times a month while Kightlinger lived at the victim’s house and that it would occur in his bedroom, on his bunk bed, and there were no other persons present, the complaint notes.

According to the complaint, the victim related that the sexual abuse ended because Kightlinger moved out of his residence.

The victim further stated that sometime during the summer of 2022, he was at his aunt’s residence in Oil City, Venango County, and Kightlinger tried to assault him there, the complaint states.

He explained that he and Kightlinger were wrestling and while they wrestled, Kightlinger lifted his legs up and tried to pull his pants down. When the victim started kicking at him, Kightlinger stated, “please just one let me do it,” according to the complaint.

Kightlinger then touched him inappropriately under his clothes outside his underwear, the complaint indicates.

The victim related he felt “terrified” during this incident, and Kightlinger instructed the victim to not tell anyone about what happened. Kightlinger threatened to “kill his dogs, steal his favorite things, and snap his neck” if he told anyone, the complaint states.

On February 24, 2023, the victim was interviewed again at the Venango County Courthouse. His statements were consistent with those that he disclosed during his forensic interview on November 18, 2022, according to the complaint.

Kightlinger was arraigned at 6:40 p.m. on Monday, March 13, on the following charges in front of Judge Lowrey:

• Rape of Child, Felony 1
• Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse W/Child, Felony 1
• Unlawful Contact With Minor – Sexual Offenses, Felony 1
• Statutory Sexual Assault: 4-8 Years Older, Felony 2
• Sexual Assault, Felony 2
• Agg. Ind. Assault – Comp. Less Than 13 Years Old, Felony 2
• Indecent Assault Person Less than 13 Years of Age, Felony 3
• Corruption Of Minors – Defendant Age 18 or Above, Felony 3

Kightlinger is lodged in the Venango County Prison with bail denied. The Bail Action Reason is listed as “defendant is a flight risk and has warrants out for his arrest.”

A preliminary hearing is slated for Wednesday, March 22, at 8:30 a.m., in Venango County Central Court.

EDITOR’S NOTE 1: Extreme graphic details were not included due to the sexual nature of the crimes.
EDITOR’S NOTE 2: Several details were removed from this article to help protect the identity of the victims.

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