A Pittsburgh area veteran and motivational speaker has pleaded guilty to raping a 13-year-old girl. 

According to police, 34-year-old Brandon Rumbaugh had sex with the teenager multiple times earlier this year. 

Rumbaugh also had allegedly told the victim to "keep this a secret" until she turned 18. 

Now, following his guilty plea, he is facing up to 16 years in prison as well as three years of probation. 

Victim described Rumbaugh as "a family friend."

An investigation into Rumbaugh began earlier this year, in May, after county police had received a report about a 13-year-old girl who had been sexually assaulted by a man in his 30s. 

When the victim was interviewed by police, she told them that she had known Rumbaugh as a family friend since she was 10 years old, and when she was 11 or 12, she started talking to him on the phone. 

She also said that she spent the night in his Pleasant Hill home three times, and the first time nothing happened, but the other two nights, she said that Rumbaugh had raped her twice each night. She also recalled that one night, he bought her an alcoholic iced tea, which she drank, and then said they had sex, but she "didn't feel like herself." 

Rumbaugh lost both legs after stepping on an IED in Afghanistan and now works as a motivational speaker. He was also recognized by the U.S. Marines with a Commendation Medal for valor.  

Uniontown community shocked by allegations 

Many in Uniontown considered and hailed Rumbaugh as a hero for his time in the armed services, but upon learning of the allegations, they found themselves in shock. 

"He's supposed to be a positive person for this community, and now this is coming out. It teaches us we need to be a little more careful with our babies," said Uniontown resident Jenn Smith. 

Prior to his guilty plea, Rumbaugh was facing charges of rape, sexual assault, indecent asault, and aggravated indecent assault.