OAN’s Brooke Mallory
12:33 PM – Tuesday, December 19, 2023
A well-known LGBTQ+ activist in Philadelphia who has made countless appearances on news networks and at major political events has been charged with raping two young boys under the age of 13.
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Kendall Stephens, 37, a biological man who identifies as a transgender woman, was initially arraigned in Philadelphia municipal court on Monday night.
Stephens has been charged with a number of felonies, including two counts of rape, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of a child, indecent assault, and other related charges, the Philadelphia Police Department said on Tuesday.
An inquiry into one of the rapes reportedly began on September 25th after the victim’s grandmother accused Stephens, who is a family friend of theirs, of sexually abusing her grandchild.
Another family member of the second victim, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke to reporters and alleged that Stephens had warned the child that if he told anyone about the sexual assault, he would go to prison, even though he was a victim of the act.
On December 29th, Stephens is expected back in court to speak before Judge Vincent W. Furlong.
The LGBTQ+ activist previously gained notoriety on August 24, 2020, when FOX19 reported that Stephens “was allegedly the victim of a hate crime and gang attack inside her South Philadelphia home.”
The assailant, Tymesha Wearing, was later found guilty of aggravated assault and conspiracy in February and given a sentence of 11.5 to 23 months of house detention, according to CBS News.
Despite the fact that Wearing, 34, is also African American, she was charged with “ethnic intimidation” in addition to aggravated assault towards Stephens.
Stephens later became a well-known as an LGBTQ+ activist and popular social media personality after the 2020 assault, according to CBS, and the progressive activist consistently urged local politicians to look into cases of violence against the gay and transgender community.
Court documents state that $250,000 in bail has been imposed for Stephens.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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