BROOKVILLE BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – A Brookville landlord is facing charges after he reportedly groped a female tenant.
Court documents indicate the Brookville Borough Police Department filed criminal charges against 68-year-old Robert Ray Forrest, of Brookville, on May 10.
According to a criminal complaint, around 11:46 a.m. on April 14, Officer Turnbull, of the Brookville Borough Police Department, received a call from a known woman who reported that her sister was grabbed in the buttocks and breast by her landlord. The woman was inquiring about the options to report this incident, and Officer Turnbull informed her that her sister could contact the police, go after the situation on the civil law side, or contact Crossroads and Passages.
While Officer Turnbull was on the phone with the woman, he was informed by Jefferson County Control requesting him to respond to an incident related to the incident with the landlord and tenant. Around 11:57 p.m., Officer Turnbull arrived at a residence on East Main Street and met with the known female victim.
According to the complaint, the victim reported that she was outside her residence smoking and talking on the phone when she met her landlord, Robert Ray Forrest.
The complaint notes that the victim was visibly shaken while speaking to Officer Turnbull, and she asked to lock the door to the residence out of concern about Forrest returning.
The victim reported that after she ran into Forrest, it began to rain, and she suggested moving under the awning or inside, and Forrest said to go inside. She said the Forrest sat on the couch, and they talked awhile, and when she mentioned getting dressed up for something, Forrest made a comment, “When you dress up you tend to excite.”
According to the complaint, the victim said the small talk continued for a time until Forrest made another comment that caught her off guard about a lack of sexual relations with his wife. Then, following some further small talk, the victim told Forrest she had to get ready to go. The victim reported that Forrest started to walk out but then put his hand on her shoulder and when she turned, he was in a hugging position. She stated he had hugged him possibly two times in the past, but both times were outside and said she met the hug with a hug placing one of her arms over Forrest and one under the opposite side arm pit.
The victim reported that Forrest then placed his hands on the small of her back, then onto her buttocks and squeezed approximately three times. She reported she was thrown off by it and pulled back and turned, and as she turned, Forrest reached and grabbed her breast with his hand. The victim said she told Forest it was inappropriate and showed him to the door. She said Forrest slightly opened the door, but then told her that “it had been a while” and noted she could probably feel him shaking.
The victim also noted she called her ex-husband immediately following the incident and told him about it.
According to the complaint, the victim was provided with a statement form and asked to fill it out and return it at her own pace. She was also provided with a victim notification book and given the strong suggestion to contact Passages.
Officer Turnbull then spoke to the victim’s ex-husband. He reported that he was speaking to his ex-wife by phone when she said she had to go as her landlord had pulled in. He said he then missed a call from her and contacted her again a short time later, when she told him her landlord had grabbed her buttocks and breast. He said she seemed confused and upset by the incident and said she didn’t know what to do because she was concerned that going to the police would cause her to lose her home.
Officer Turnbull then interviewed Robert Forrest at the station. He was read his rights prior to the interview and informed the interview would be video and audio recorded.
According to the complaint, Forrest admitted to meeting with the victim and going inside her house and said he did hug her but denied that he touched her inappropriately. He also admitted to much of the context of the conversation the victim had reported, but left out anything about mentioning how long it had been since he’d had sex until it was brought up to him.
Based on the investigation, the following charges were filed on Friday, May 10, in Magisterial District Judge Gregory m. Bazylak’s office:
– Indecent Assault Without Consent of Other, Misdemeanor 2 (two counts)
– Harassment – Subject Other to Physical Contact, Misdemeanor 2 (two counts)
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday, June 11, with Judge Bazylak presiding.
A certified summons was issued to Forrest on May 13.
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