Leechburg police chief, accused child predator will stand trial

LEECHBURG, Pa. — Leechburg Police Chief Mike Diebold, now an accused child predator, was in court on Friday accompanied by his lawyer and mother.

Diebold's attorney waved all charges to court.

He is charged with unlawful contact with a minor and criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

"This is my son. I love my son, and if there's any parents out there that wouldn't be there for their child, they're not good parents," Diebold's mother said.

After his arrest, his wife of seven months left him and filed an emergency protection from abuse order against him.

He is due in court next Wednesday on that PFA order.

State agents arrested him on Jan. 5 in the parking lot of Sheetz in Lower Burrell, where he allegedly was expecting to meet a 14-year-old girl he met online for sex. The girl was really an undercover state agent.

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He allegedly began interacting with the undercover agent on Sept. 15 via the app Kik, on which Diebold used the name "Kutecop4you."

Investigators said Diebold was told multiple times that the girl was underage but he continued to engage in conversations with her.  The complaint said he sent inappropriate pictures and continued to ask for sex.

Five things to know about Leechburg Police Chief Mike Diebold

Diebold gained national attention after he lost his lower left arm in a fireworks accident last summer. The community rallied around him throughout his rehabilitation for his determination to return to duty despite the injury.

The Leechburg mayor is running the police department since Diebold is suspended without pay.

He told Channel 11 two full-time officers are covering Monday through Friday shifts.

Part-timers are filling the other slots so no shifts go uncovered.

For developments and updates on the case, you can follow Amy Marcinkiewicz on Facebook or on Twitter. 

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