Douglas Shade at Broad Street Grind in Souderton Monday, Feb. 27., 2017. Photo by Media News Group.
Former Broad Street Grind co-owner Douglas Phillip Shade, of the 400 block of Main Street, Lower Salford, pleaded guilty Wednesday to 19 of 95 charges
A former Souderton Borough businessman has admitted to sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl on at least 10 occasions, and filming the incidents on his cell phone, and possessing more than 1,700 images of child pornography and faces a maximum 311 years in prison.
Douglas Phillip Shade, 44, of the 400 block of Main Street, Lower Salford, pleaded guilty Wednesday to 10 felony charges of aggravated indecent assault of a child under 13, a felony charge of indecent assault of a child under 13, one felony count of corruption of a minor, two felony counts of creating child pornography and five felony counts of possessing child pornography, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
All in all, he pleaded guilty to 19 of 95 crimes. The remaining offenses were dismissed against Shade, per court records. Shade told prosecutors he suffered from depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, per The Mercury. He was represented by defense lawyer Vincent Erik Petersen.
Shade faces 155 ½ to 311 years in prison on the charges, per The Mercury, but will, at the very least, be sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison. Judge Steven T. O’Neill deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigation report about Shade, who will undergo a sex offender assessment, according to the report.
According to The Mercury, prosecutors are seeking a 10-year mandatory sentence, allowable under state law, for the charge of aggravated indecent assault, of which there are 10 counts.
Per The Mercury, prosecutors could argue for consecutive mandatory sentences for each of the 10 counts, for a minimum sentence of 100 years.
Shade also admitted to possessing other child sexual abuse materials, including 17 videos and 1,770 images of children as young as 3 years old on his electronic devices, some of which depicted bestiality, all for his sexual gratification, according to testimony
“Based on these actions, he is a danger to the community. He is a danger to minors. Because of that, and what the sentencing guidelines and the sentencing mandatories call for, the commonwealth will be asking for a state sentence,” Assistant District Attorney Margot Weitz said in The Mercury.
Prosecutors asked to revoke bail, but O’Neill allowed it to remain at 10% of $50,000 cash, but ordered Shade to wear an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet at all times, per the report.
Shade is a former co-owner of Broad Street Grind, along with Shade's parents, Franconia Township residents Phillip and Heather Shade. Phillip Shade was deposed as an Anglican deacon in February after disclosing the alleged sexual abuse of his son 30 years ago.
Phillip J. Shade (Credit: Broad Street Grind Facebook)He also faces an evaluation by the state’s Sexual Offender Assessment Board which will determine if he meets criteria to be classified as a sexually violent predator.
On July 25, 2024, Lower Salford authorities investigated a report of sexual assault involving a girl under 13 years of age on at least 10 occasions, according to the affidavit. Authorities allege Shade recorded his encounters on his cellphone, while kissing and indecently assaulting the girl.
Once authorities obtained a search warrant for Shade’s personal and work phones, they were able to download a large amount of child sexual abuse material, including pictures and videos of juveniles under 18 in various stages of undress and performing sexual acts, according to the affidavit.
All in all, investigators found 20 videos of CSAM, three of which included Shade, recorded in May 2024, police said.
Further examination of Shade’s phone located a large amount of photos of CSAM, including 891 photos of children under 13 engaged in sexual acts; 499 photos of children between 13 and 18 engaged in illicit acts; 318 photos of nude juveniles; 12 bondage photographs; and 11 photos of bestiality, according to the criminal complaint.
Authorities said the Telegram app is often used to produce and distribute CSAM.
Shade departs Broad Street Grind in 2023
Shade was a former partner of a six-owner stake in Broad Street Grind, founded in 2016 and opened in 2017.
Broad Street Grind is the storefront face for Liberty Hall Coffee LLC The LLC is registered to the elder Shade’s Berkshire Drive residence.Liberty Hall Coffee LLC has a sister company called Liberty Hall Roasters LLC.
The parent LLC has been operating for about nine years, and is estimating between $245,277 and $333,000 in annual revenue, per online business records.
In November 2024, Liberty Hall Coffee LLC and Liberty Hall Roasters LLC announced Pamela Nalbach and Zachary Taylor became partners of each company, respectively. Nalbach was named vice president of Liberty Hall Coffee LLC, doing business as Broad Street Grind. Taylor then became vice president of Liberty Hall Roasters LLC.
Then, as of this month, Nalbach has taken ownership over both brands.
Nalbach, a graduate of the International Culinary Academy in Pittsburgh, joined Broad Street Grind in 2017 as executive chef and took over as general manager in 2021. She oversees daily operations and the catering business.
Taylor, a former employee at One Village Coffee and Backyard Beans, joined Liberty Hall Coffee LLC as a consultant in 2022 and then full time in 2023 as Director of Coffee and Roasting.
Social media users support a boycott, before Broad Street Grind steps in
Facebook users took to social media to call for a boycott of the business; the fervor and backlash in Shade’s case made an article written on the business opening in 2017 the top story over the past week on The Reporter Online.
Retired home security systems sales director and Reformed Episcopal Church-educated Phillip Shade, in his former role as treasurer of Broad Street Grind, released a statement on the business’s Facebook page in early February,
In the statement, Phillip, a former deacon and assistant to the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of the Living Word at St. Peter’s Anglican Church in Souderton, spoke on the allegations against his son, the family’s stance, and Broad Street Grind:
“We want to take this time to address you're warranted concerns as it relates to criminal allegations made toward a former business partner, and a family member of the founding partners.
In 2023, Douglas Shade’s minority shares in the business were purchased, as he had not been actively involved in the operations of the business for several years. When news of these criminal charges were brought to our attention several months ago, we were deeply grieved and shocked.
We want to make clear that none of the owners condone nor support the alleged criminal behavior which has come to light in subsequent months. The Shade family is completely devastated and more what has transpired.
Douglas Shade was removed from this company in 2023. Because this is an ongoing and active criminal investigation, we were advised not to speak publicly should one of us be called as a witness.
We are sorry if you feel blindsided or betrayed by the reports which were circulated today which unfortunately included substantially false and incorrect information about the broad St. grind. This news was unprecedented on a personal and professional level, and we will continue to move forward with transparency and understanding.”
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
