DA: Firefighter's Beaver Co. rape text may be hacked fake

BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. — A text messaged "confession" used to charge a Michigan firefighter with raping a woman in western Pennsylvania may have been faked by the alleged victim.

Beaver County Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Popovich says she's investigating whether 50-year-old Lee Finlayson's accuser hacked into his phone and sent the message to herself.

The message allegedly had Finlayson admitting he raped the woman at her Brighton Township home on Sept. 22, and also said, "I can't get that out of my head."

Popovich and Steve Colafella, the Rockford, Mich. firefighter's attorney, tell the Beaver County Times there's reason to believe the message was bogus.

Finlayson is a lieutenant and was firefighter of the year in the Grand Rapids Fire Department last year.

Finlayson is free on bond.

His accuser could face charges if it's proved she faked the text.

WPXI