BROCKWAY, Pa. (EYT) – A local man accused of the indecent assault of two young children in Jefferson County is scheduled to stand for a preliminary hearing today.
Court documents indicate 19-year-old David Robert Johns Jr., of Indiana, is scheduled to stand for a preliminary hearing in front of Magisterial District Judge David B. Inzana at 12:30 p.m.
He faces the following charges:
– Indecent Assault Person Less than 13 Years of Age, Misdemeanor 1 (six counts)
According to a criminal complaint, around 4:30 p.m. on January 6, Trooper Strishock of the DuBois-based State Police interviewed a known woman who reported that she was babysitting for two known female juvenile victims on December 17, 2018, in Brockway, when she was made aware of an incident involving Johns and the children.
Court documents indicate that the incidents were of a sexual nature.
According to the complaint, the victims’ mother reported that on December 21, 2018, David Robert Johns Jr. was visiting and when one of the victims asked to go upstairs to play with him and was told no, the victim asked “Is that because of what Davey did with me?”. The victims’ mother then questioned both of the victims who then admitted that Johns touched them. The victims’ mother noted that she “could tell by the look on their faces it was not good touching,” and said they learned about good touch and bad touch at daycare.
The complaint notes that the victims’ mother stated she did not question the victims if the touching was on top of or underneath their clothing or where on their bodies he touched, but she did question Johns, who allegedly admitted to touching the victims. The victims’ mother then spoke to Johns father about what happened, and his father took him back to the group home where he resides.
A Child Advocacy Center (CAC) interview was conducted with the first victim around 1:10 p.m. on January 15, 2019, at Western PA Cares For Kids.
According to the complaint, the victim stated Johns touched her at her house in her bedroom during the day while they were playing.
Around 1:55 p.m. the second victim was also interviewed but did not disclose any abuse.
During a January 17 interview with police, Johns admitted to inappropriately touching the two victims.
Based on the investigation, charges were filed against Johns on February 22, in Magisterial District Judge David B. Inzana’s office.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Several details were withheld from this article to help protect the identity of the victims.
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