Montco man charged with sex trafficking of teen

A Lansdale man was charged Wednesday with prostitution and human trafficking for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a teenage girl and arranging for her to engage in prostitution.

Brian Kieffer, 32, met the Hatfield girl on a social media app when she was 15, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a news release Wednesday.

Kieffer began an inappropriate relationship with her, police said, and managed her prostitution, from which he profited.

Steele said Kieffer also drove the girl, now 16, to Philadelphia to purchase heroin and cocaine, and last fall took her to Florida without her parents' knowledge or consent.

He was first arrested in October, after he and the girl were found in Florida, police said, and has been held on $1 million bail since then.

He was arraigned on additional charges Wednesday. Magisterial District Judge Edward Levine raised his bail to $5 million.

Kieffer is facing 40 felony counts related to prostitution and human trafficking, Steele said, and could face a maximum of 411 years in prison.

His attorney did not immediately return a message Wednesday evening.

Kieffer is next scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing Thursday afternoon.

- Laura McCrystal