An Upper Darby man scheduled to stand trial this week on rape and related charges instead pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault, a second-degree felony, just as jury selection had wrapped up in Delaware County Common Pleas Court. Tanvir Ahmad, 34, entered the plea after a jury had already been picked Monday but had not yet been sworn in, according to Judge Richard Cappelli.
Ahmad had been set to face trial on rape and related charges starting Oct. 19, according to the Delco Times. Assistant District Attorney Nick McGuire had been set to try eight counts against him. Under the plea agreement, McGuire and defense attorneys Paige Benedetto and Ben McCready agreed to dismissal of the remaining charges, which had included multiple counts of rape, kidnapping, sexual assault, indecent assault, stalking and sexual extortion.
How the Case Against Ahmad Began
The case traces back to a complaint Springfield police received in September 2025 alleging that Ahmad had threatened the victim with harm if she did not have sex with him. Police said at the time that Ahmad and the victim knew each other through mutual other relationships. Springfield Detective Randall Kennedy investigated the complaint and ultimately obtained enough evidence to charge Ahmad.
Ahmad was arrested without incident on Nov. 6, 2025, after an officer spotted him driving in the township, the outlet's earlier report noted. He was arraigned before District Judge Michael Cullen, who set bail at $250,000 cash; that amount was later reduced to 10 percent of $250,000. Ahmad has remained in custody at the county jail in Concord.
What Comes Next in Sentencing
Ahmad is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 16. That hearing is pending a presentence investigation and an evaluation by the state sexual offender assessment board, which will determine whether he meets the criteria for a sexually violent predator.
Under Pennsylvania law, sexual assault is classified as a second-degree felony when a person engages in sexual intercourse or deviate sexual intercourse with a complainant without consent, except where the conduct is covered under the state's rape statute or involuntary deviate sexual intercourse statute, according to the Pennsylvania General Assembly. The earlier Delco Times report had identified Ahmad as 33 years old at the time of his arrest, while the outlet's most recent coverage lists his age as 34.
