BELL TWP., Pa. (EYT) – A Punxsutawney man facing multiple counts of sexual assault and related charges is scheduled to stand for a hearing in court next week.
According to court documents, a hearing against 24-year-old Douglas Russell Bartlebaugh of Punxsutawney that was continued on Monday, July 22 is scheduled to resume at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, August 20:
Bartlebaugh faces the following charges:
– Sexual Assault, Felony 2 (8 counts)
– Statutory Sexual Assault: 4-8 Years Older, Felony 2
– Aggravated Indecent Assault Without Consent (8 counts)
– Aggravated Indecent Assault – Complainant Less Than 16, Felony 2
– Incest, Felony 2 (8 counts)
– Indecent Exposure, Misdemeanor 1
– Indecent Assault Without Consent of Other, Misdemeanor 2 (8 counts)
– Indecent Assault of Person Less Than 16 Years Age, Misdemeanor 2
The charges stem from an investigation into alleged sexual assaults that occurred in Bell Township, Jefferson County.
According to a criminal complaint, on March 17, 2019, Punxsutawney-based State Police received a report of a rape from a third party who reported that a known victim said she had been raped numerous times by Douglas Russell Bartlebaugh. It was also reported that Bartlebaugh had been bragging about having sex with the victim.
The complaint notes that at the time of the initial report, it was believed that the sexual encounters occurred when the female victim was between the ages of 14 and 16 years old.
Trooper MacTavish interviewed the victim on June 21 and June 24.
According to the complaint, through the interviews, the victim related that she began to be sexually assaulted by Bartlebaugh when she was approximately 13-years old. The assaults continued until she was about 17-years old.
The victim reported that the incidents occurred at private residences in Bell Township and Punxsutawney Borough. The victim also related that Bartlebaugh forced her to have sexual intercourse with him, although she told him “no” each time, the complaint indicates.
Bartlebaugh was interviewed on July 1, 2019, after being read his Miranda rights.
According to the complaint, Bartlebaugh admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim and stated it began when he was between the ages of 15 to 17 when the victim would have been 10- to 12-years old. These incidents occurred at a residence in Bell Township.
He went on to say that in 2014, he moved to a residence in Punxsutawney where he had sexual intercourse with the victim once. When this incident occurred, Bartlebaugh was 20-years old, and the victim was 15-years old.
According to the complaint, Bartlebaugh stated that he moved to another residence in Punxsutawney in 2016 where he and “the victim had sexual intercourse approximately seven more times.” He said each time he initiated contact. During this time, Bartlebaugh would have been 22- to 23-years old and the victim would have been 17- to 18-years old.
Bartlebaugh was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock at 1:25 p.m. on Wednesday, July 17.
Unable to post $50,000.00 monetary bail, he remains lodged in the Jefferson County Jail.
EDITOR’S NOTE 1: Extreme graphic details were not included due to the sexual nature of the alleged crimes.
EDITOR’S NOTE 2: Several details were removed from this article to help protect the identity of the victim.
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