DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — The owner of Poppy’s Peanuts inside the Quakertown Farmers Market has pleaded guilty in Bucks County Court in a corruption of minors case involving former teenage employees.
Joseph Grossman entered guilty pleas to corruption of minors charges during court proceedings this week as part of a plea agreement. Under the agreement, Grossman received seven years of probation and seven years of sex offender supervision. Other charges filed in the case are expected to be withdrawn under the negotiated plea.
The case stemmed from allegations involving inappropriate conduct with underage employees connected to the business at the Quakertown Farmers Market, commonly known as the Q-Mart. Prosecutors previously alleged Grossman used his position to groom and manipulate teenage girls who worked for him.
During the court hearing, victim impact statements were presented to the court. One victim’s statement was reportedly reviewed privately by the judge, while another victim’s mother addressed the court directly.
According to the family, the defense attorney objected to the mother’s impact statement being read in court, but the judge ultimately allowed it.
One of the victim’s mothers later provided First Source News with the statement she read during sentencing. In the statement, she described the emotional trauma her daughter experienced and accused Grossman of exploiting her daughter’s vulnerability following prior trauma.
“This was my impact statement that the defense attorney didn’t want to be read but that the judge allowed,” the mother told First Source News.
In part, the statement read:
“As a mother, there are no words strong enough to describe the pain of watching your child suffer and knowing you cannot take that pain away from them.”
The mother described how her daughter had already been coping with previous trauma before meeting Grossman and said she believes he “inserted himself as someone she could lean on and trust.”
“What I thought was kindness and support was actually manipulation. He preyed on her pain, her trust, and her vulnerability for his own selfish reasons,” the statement continued.
The statement also detailed the lasting emotional impact the case allegedly had on her daughter, including struggles with trust, anxiety, and emotional trauma.
“The confident, trusting girl I knew now struggles to feel safe around men, even men she has known for years,” the mother wrote.
The mother further claimed the incidents were not isolated and referenced allegations from multiple young women who reportedly described inappropriate comments, touching, and manipulative behavior.
“These girls were never motivated by revenge,” the statement said. “They came forward because they were scared that if no one stopped him, another girl would be hurt.”
During sentencing, the judge reportedly agreed that Grossman’s conduct amounted to grooming behavior and stated he could benefit from sex offender therapy.
The investigation was handled by Richland Township Police and Bucks County authorities.
If you or someone you know has information related to this case, authorities previously encouraged witnesses or potential additional victims to contact investigators.
This remains a developing story. Additional updates will be provided if more court documents become available
