Mark Hillis Pleaded Guilty In Federal Court But Now Faces PA Charges Of Raping Teen Girl

LIMERICK, PA — A Michigan man who traveled to Pennsylvania to meet up with an underage girl pleaded guilty in federal court this week to charges relating to the case, but that doesn't end his legal troubles, as he now faces a host of additional criminal charges in state court.

Mark Hillis, 58, is currently in federal lockup after his guilty plead in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia on Wednesday, but he will soon likely be extradited back to Montgomery County where local prosecutors will try him on the sexual assault of the 13-year-old girl with whom he traveled from Michigan to be with.

In federal court, Hillis pleaded guilty to all 14 counts in an indictment against him, which paves the way for the state case to move forward. The state charges were on hold pending the outcome of the federal case, according to the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office.

The case against Hillis dates back to late 2019, when the Limerick Township Police Department received information about a sexual assault of a minor female.

A Limerick Township police detective commenced an investigation, which determined the child had been sexually assaulted at the Hampton Inn at 430 West Linfield Trappe Road on Dec. 30, 2019, according to a police criminal complaint.

The victim told police that she had been involved in an online relationship with Hillis for a months-long period of time, and that the two eventually met in person when Hillis traveled to Montgomery County from Michigan.

Hillis was eventually arrested after police were tipped off by someone who works for the hotel where Hillis and the girl had sex.

According to Pennsylvania court records, there appear to be two separate cases moving forward against Hillis, each with various felony counts lodged against him.

One case appears to relate to various felony child pornography counts while the other case contains felony statutory sexual assault and unlawful contact with minor charges.

Records show that Hillis was held for court on all the charges against him in the two state cases following his arraignments.

The Montgomery County District Attorney's Office told Patch it does not yet know when Hillis will be transferred back to the county to face charges in the state matter since the federal case just recently concluded.