Child Sex Abuse And Murder Arrests Land Limerick Officers Accolades

LIMERICK, PA —Limerick Police Chief Robert J. Matalavage Tuesday night awarded three officers gallantry star metals, which are issued to officers who make arrests of suspects who are a threat to the community.

“I am proud of everyone,” the chief said to the officers. “I truly consider you Limerick’s finest.”

The chief said that the officers put their lives on the line every day on the job.

These officers received the gallantry star metals:

• Sgt. Stephen Winneberger received the award for the Oct. 15, 2020 arrest of a suspect who was a threat to the community. The chief said the suspect fled from Maryland to Pennsylvania after stabbing his mother. He said Winnenberger collected evidence that will be used for the prosecution during the suspect's trial.

• Detectives Chris Iochum and Ernie Morris earned the award for an arrest and prosecution of a sexual offender. The chief said that on Dec.13, 2019, just after 10 p.m. police received a report of a sexual assault of a 13-year-old.

He said the detectives worked together to put the suspect in prison for a long time. The investigation disclosed the suspect developed an online relationship with the girl before setting up a meeting with the child at a hotel in Limerick.

The suspect Mark Hillis, 60, of Michigan, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the child and related offenses.

He met the girl in a YouTube chatroom and texted her obscene photographs.

Hillis was sentenced on Nov. 18, 2022, to 25 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting the victim in a Limerick Township hotel room and related offenses.

On May 11, Hillis was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 15 to 30 years in state prison for the offenses with the 13-year-old.

National Police Week

Matalavage said on Oct. 1, 1962, former President John F. Kennedy passed a law declaring May 14 as national police week.

The chief said law enforcement officers are devoted to keeping the communities safe and consider their job a calling.

“A lot of us wanted to be police officers from the time we were knee-high,” he said.

The chief also noted that May 15 is police officers' Memorial Day, a time to remember officers who died in the line of duty.

He said 44 officers died in the line of duty, including three from Pennsylvania.