A Lansdale man employed as the assistant manager at the Burger King on South Broad Street is facing charges after he allegedly groped a juvenile female employee and attempted to bribe her into becoming his girlfriend by giving her a pay raise.
Sayed Al Hassan, 28, has been charged with one felony count of corruption of minors and three misdemeanor counts of indecent assault in connection with the investigation. He is currently free after posting $5,000 cash bail.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim’s mother contacted police during the evening of Jan. 2 to report her daughter had been sexually assaulted while at work earlier that day. The mother said her daughter was working at Burger King under the supervision of Al Hassan when he allegedly inappropriately touched her.
In an interview with police, the victim told police Al Hassan had invited her into his office to show her how much money he was making as an assistant manager. When the victim asked why she wasn’t making more money, Al Hassan said he would secretly increase her pay by $700 per week if she agreed to become his girlfriend, police said.
At that point, Al Hassan allegedly wrapped his arms around the teen, began groping her over her clothes while kissing her head, and repeatedly pleaded and begged her to be his girlfriend. Any time the girl attempted to move or stand up, Al Hassan began to increase his grasp and ordered her to remain seated, police said.
The victim stated she could no longer bear being at work at called a friend to pick her up, however Al Hassan allegedly hung up the phone and continued begging her to stay and be his girlfriend. Al Hassan told the victim she could not take a break and was not allowed outside of the office, however she eventually made her way into the bathroom where she cried and awaited the arrival of her friend, according to charging documents.
Police said Al Hassan began texting the girl while she was in the bathroom, then ordered her to return to his office when she exited. He again attempted to hold her hand and hug her, but she resisted and left with her friend.
As a result of the incident, the girl quit her job and blocked Al Hassan’s number, however police said he continued to attempt to contact her from different phone numbers and through her friends. The complaint also notes that prior to the Jan. 2 incident, Al Hassan had a history of hugging the girl against her will and texting her terms of endearment, including “honey,” “baby,” and “beautiful.”
“Al Hassan engaged in conduct initiated by his own sexual desire without concern for age and consent, leading to Al Hassan indecently touching [the victim] without consent and through force,” reads a portion of the criminal complaint. “Additionally, Al Hassan engaged in a course of conduct with the purpose of soliciting, grooming, and procuring a juvenile female as his ‘girlfriend.’”
Al Hassan was arraigned on Jan. 17 by District Judge Karen Zucker, who set bail at $5,000 cash. Court records show he posted bail the same day, and his next court appearance is a preliminary hearing on March 1 at 2:45 p.m. in front of District Judge Ed Levine.
When reached for comment, a Burger King spokesperson provided the following statement:
“The events described in this case are entirely inconsistent with Burger King standards and values. The franchisee who owns and operates this restaurant is investigating the events and working with local law enforcement.”
The Burger King spokesperson did not provide a direct answer when asked if Al Hassan remains employed at the Lansdale location.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using court records and the affidavit of probable cause.
See also:
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Souderton Man Arrested on Burglary Charges Christmas Afternoon
Woman Charged After Stabbing Ex-Boyfriend in Lansdale Home Following Breakup, Police Say
