Police news.
North Penn Water Authority employees were credited by detectives with saving the life of an alleged sexual assault victim in Souderton, in which the 59-year-old defendant was later arrested and charged with 25 offenses, including attempted rape by force.
Cheltenham Township Assistant Fire Marshal Albert Sergio, of West Walnut Street, Souderton, was charged last month with numerous felonies and misdemeanors stemming from his arrest in the April 25 incident on Walnut Street, according to court records. Sergio is charged with felony counts of attempted rape by force (two counts), attempted involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by force (two counts), attempted sexual assault, attempted aggravated indecent assault without consent, attempted aggravated indecent assault by force, attempted aggravated indecent assault by threat, criminal trespassing-breaking into a structure, attempted criminal trespassing, fleeing to avoid apprehension, burglary of an occupied structure, and attempted burglary of a building, according to charging documents.
Sergio is also charged with misdemeanor counts of indecent assault (two), indecent assault of a victim with mental deficiencies, indecent exposure, false imprisonment, unlawful restraint (two), terroristic threats, simple assault, attempted simple assault by menace, possession of a weapon, and criminal mischief, according to charging documents.
He remains at Montgomery County jail on $300,000 cash bail, according to court records.
On April 25, 2025, at 9:25 a.m., Souderton Police were dispatched via a 911 caller to a West Walnut Street home for a report of an armed subject that attacked the caller, according to the affidavit. The caller told police they were able to escape the house and run across the street, but the subject remained inside the home, and he was naked, drunk and armed with a knife, police said.
Upon arrival, police found the victim safe inside a North Penn Water Authority truck, along with witnesses who saw the victim flee the house, according to the complaint.
Upon searching the home, officers found that Sergio was no longer inside. However, there was damage to a bathroom door and a large kitchen knife was found on the master bedroom floor, police said. The victim later told detectives that Sergio appeared in the home’s hallway, completely nude and holding a 12-inch knife, police said.
The victim screamed and Sergio allegedly held his finger to his mouth and said, “Shhhh.” Police said the victim was able to flee into a bathroom and hold the door shut, but to no avail, as Sergio allegedly forced it open. He then wedged himself in the door and led the victim to a bedroom at knifepoint, police allege.
Sergio eventually put the knife down, at which time, the victim came behind him, grabbed the knife, and ran to the top of a stairway, detectives said. Then, Sergio allegedly grabbed the victim’s torso, and both fell down the stairs to the first landing, with the knife falling on the ground.
Authorities allege Sergio recovered, grabbed the knife, forced the victim into a bedroom, and forced them to perform sexual acts. During the alleged sexual assault, Sergio put the knife down again, at which time, the victim backed out of the room and fled from the house, with Sergio on their heels, according to the affidavit. Once outside, Sergio stopped chasing the victim, police said.
As the victim fled out to the street, two NPWA employees working nearby, heard screaming, approached the victim and secured them in their truck, where the victim called 911, police said.
During an interview with detectives, the victim said Sergio tried several times to force them on the bed, however they resisted, police said.
The victim told police that Sergio sent sexual text messages to them a year ago, including a pornographic video, police allege.
Meanwhile, at the scene of the crime, police searched for Sergio. At 11:31 a.m., Souderton Police were dispatched to the 400 block of East Chestnut Street for a burglary, police said.
The property owner told police that, at 10 a.m., Sergio forced entry into the rear of the home by breaking a glass pane, reaching in, unlocking the deadbolt, and opening the door, police said.
Sergio entered the kitchen, according to the complaint, where the homeowner was holding her baby, and repeatedly screamed and yelled for Sergio to leave the home. He complied, and police also searched a next door neighbor’s property, with no luck, police said. However, this neighbor reported to authorities that their home was damaged, allegedly by Sergio in an attempt to get into the house.
On April 25, at 6:07 p.m., Sergio was eventually taken into custody after being found hiding in the woods along the 3500 block of State Road in Bucks County, police said.
All charges were waived to court at a May 21 preliminary hearing and formal arraignment is set for July 2.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
