Police Say Q-Mart Shop Owner Preyed on Teenage Employees

The owner of a shop in the Quakertown Farmers Market has been charged with offering one teenage girl who worked for him money and marijuana in exchange for a sex act and inappropriately grabbing another young employee, and police say they believe other girls may have been similarly targeted.

According to the Bucks County District Attorney’s office, 36-year-old Joseph Michael Grossman of Warminster owned and operated Poppy’s Peanuts inside the large indoor market in Richland Township when he allegedly began harassing the 17-year-old. As of Thursday, Oct. 2, the Quakertown Farmers Market website still listed Poppy’s Peanuts in its vendor directory.

“(Grossman) would frequently make inappropriate comments and touch her legs and back,” a news release from the DA said.

According to the release, Grossman “continued to contact” the girl after she quit working for him.

The release noted that following Grossman’s arrest in August, a second girl contacted authorities and said she had also been victimized.

“She told police that while she worked for Grossman, he would regularly make vulgar sexual comments and grab her hips, back and shoulders,” the release said. “While she did not report being offered money for a sexual act, she did say that Grossman gave her drugs.”

Grossman was initially charged with promoting the prostitution of a minor and corruption of minors, and has since been charged with additional counts of corruption of minors, the DA’s office said.

The office encouraged anyone else who believes they may have been victimized to contact police, adding that “investigators believe there may be other victims.”

Anyone who wishes to file a report should contact Richland Township Police Det. Matthew Lawhead at 215-536-9500.

According to court records, Grossman is currently free on 10 percent of $250,000 cash bail, which was posted Aug. 18 by a third party.

His formal arraignment is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. at the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas in Doylestown.

Grossman is being represented by attorney Michael Applebaum of Bensalem, according to the docket filed in his case.

Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using information from the Bucks County District Attorney’s office and Bucks County court records.