Pennsylvania man charged with abusing six Amish sisters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Pennsylvania man accused earlier this year of raping an underage Amish teenager after receiving her as a "gift" from her parents was charged on Monday with sexually abusing the victim’s five younger sisters, according to court records.

Lee Kaplan, 51, of Feasterville, was arrested in June on charges of raping a 14-year-old girl whose custody was relinquished to Kaplan after he helped her parents financially.

On Monday, Bucks County prosecutors charged Kaplan with sexually abusing the teenager's sisters, who are as young as 8 years old, according the criminal complaint. For one of the victims, the abuse started as early as age 6, prosecutors said.

Daniel Stoltzfus and his wife, Savilla Stoltzfus, the victims' parents, were Amish, a Protestant religious sect that shuns modern conveniences and whose members are known for their simple living and plain dress. The couple was arrested in June and face child endangerment charges.

Police said in court papers that they were grateful to Kaplan for saving their farm from foreclosure. They admitted to giving their then-14-year-old daughter to Kaplan after they found information on the internet suggesting this would be legal. All of the girls lived in Kaplan's house, the complaint said.

Kaplan almost immediately impregnated the 14-year-old after she came to live with him, and she eventually gave birth to two of his children.

The charges against Kaplan include rape of a child and indecent assault.

Kaplan's attorney could not immediately be reached for comment.

(Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)