×

Wetzel County deputies arrest Pennsylvania fugitive wanted on child rape charges

Kevin Michael Esterly (Photo Provided)

PADEN CITY — The Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department is being commended by Pennsylvania law enforcement after arresting a man wanted on child rape charges in that state.

After two high speed pursuits, deputies captured Kevin Michael Esterly, 53, of Whitehall Township, Pa., who was wanted on child rape charges, according to a social media post by Wetzel County Sheriff Eric Daugherty.

Esterly has been charged in Pennsylvania with rape, two counts each of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and unlawful contact with a minor-sexual offenses, all felonies of the first degree; and indecent assault of a person younger than 13 years old and endangering the welfare of children – parent/guardian/another commits offense, felonies of the third degree, according to Lehigh County, Pa., District Attorney Gavin Holihan.

“Esterly was taken into custody early this morning in West Virginia after two police pursuits. He is awaiting extradition to Pennsylvania,” according to Holihan’s press release.

According to Northern Regional Jail information, Esterly is being held in the facility without bond. He was booked into the facility at 6:42 a.m. June 11.

Paden City Police Department Officer Justin Bowman said he made the initial traffic stop on Esterly at 11:31 p.m. June 10 while the man was driving through the city in a white Mercedes Benz. Bowman made a traffic stop for defective equipment. As he went back to his cruiser to check Esterly’s license and information, it came back with him being wanted on a warrant out of Pennsylvania.

He looked at Esterly’s vehicle and noticed him looking back and acting nervous, he said.

“He was digging in his car. I got out to make contact and to make sure he wasn’t reaching for weapons. I was screaming at him to show his hands out of the window,” Bowman said.

“He took off and in between Paden City and New Martinsville my cruiser speed was 142 mph. His tail lights were getting further away from me. I’m not sure what his top speed was, but he made some sharp turns,” Bowman said.

As Esterly turned onto W.Va. 7 two officers with the New Martinsville Police Department — Officer David Summers and Capt. Don Larsen — got involved in the pursuit. However, as more truck traffic appeared on the road the officers decided to back off after Esterly disappeared.

Hours later sheriff’s Deputies Brooks Parsons and Cody Elliott spotted Esterly and attempted to pull him over.

“I believe when he went to take off again he ended up wrecking his car before he had time to get it going again,” Bowman said.

Esterly was taken to the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department after being arrested where he was further questioned. He told officers during the first pursuit he lost control of his vehicle and it flung him off the road to where he could not be seen.

“He admitted to backing up by a trailer and turning his lights off. He was going to camp out. … He said he heard people speaking … that’s why he started driving again,” Bowman said.

The arrest was made between 2:30-3 a.m.

“They asked him, after reading his rights, what the slowest on Route 7 he was driving. He said the slowest was 68 mph; he was taking turns very fast and bumping guardrails,” Bowman said.

“He did not have a scratch on him. He jumped out of the vehicle and threw his hands up in the air and gave himself up,” Bowman said. “He said he didn’t want to run but he had to run.”

Bowman said Esterly would be facing local charges of felony fleeing with reckless indifference.

Bowman said he wanted to thank all the officers and first responders involved including New Martinsville PD and the Wetzel County Sheriff’s Department along with the New Martinsville Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, who responded to the crash.

“It appears he is facing serious, serious charges. … It was a night well done by all first responders involved,” Bowman said.

Regarding his Pennsylvania charges, according to Holihan, “On Feb. 21, 2025, a report was filed with Allentown Police regarding a juvenile sex assault that is alleged to have occurred over an extended period of time beginning in the Summer 2015 and ending in March 2018.

“During interviews with police, the victim reported that she was first introduced to Esterly when she was 8 years old. Esterly was the stepfather of the victim’s juvenile friend.

“The victim told police she began spending a lot of time with the friend, including spending weekends and summers at the Esterly home. The friend’s family later moved to a home in Lowhill Township, Lehigh County.

“The victim disclosed that in August 2015 when she was 13 years old, Esterly provided her with alcohol at a family birthday party and then sexually assaulted her. Thereafter, the victim related that Esterly sexually assaulted her almost every time she slept over at his residence.

“The victim further disclosed that Esterly later provided her with alcohol and drugs in exchange for sexual favors.”

In his social media post, Daugherty commended his deputies for “a job well done capturing a fugitive from justice out of Pennsylvania.”

Starting at $2.99/week.

Subscribe Today