6 firefighters accused of gang raping teen girl facing misdemeanor charges

STRASBURG, Virginia -- Six firefighters accused of gang raping a 17-year-old girl are facing charges in Virginia.

But they each only face maximum sentences of a year in jail and a $2,500 fine for a misdemeanor charge. The charge can include consensual sex acts with a minor aged 15 or older.

Those firefighters, including the chief and the captain, have been charged, but not with a sex crime. Instead, they've been charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor - a misdemeanor.

The investigation dates back to last April. A concerned citizen notified the mayor of an alleged gang rape of a 17-year-old girl that allegedly occurred at a home, a hotel down the street and inside the firehouse. The teen's mother provided investigators screen shots of videos of the alleged incident that were shared on Snapchat.

The teen in this case claims that she was highly intoxicated but also highly intimidated and that the sex wasn't consensual.

Area news outlets report that the six members of the Strasburg Volunteer Fire Department were arrested over the weekend after a Virginia State Police investigation. The ages of the defendants range from 21 to 36.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.