FRACKVILLE - A man already jailed for having inappropriate sexual contact with a juvenile was arraigned Wednesday on similar charges involving two further victims.
Shawn D. Schlauch, 20, formerly of Ashland and currently an inmate at Schuylkill County Prison, was arraigned by Magisterial Christina E. Hale on two additional complaints.
The first, filed by Ashland police Patrolman Daniel Weikel III, charges Schlauch with two counts of indecent assault and one count of harassment stemming from an incident at an Ashland home in January. In the second complaint, Weikel charged Schlauch with two counts of indecent assault and one count of harassment in connection with an incident in August, also at a borough home and a youth group session.
On April 10, Weikel charged Schlauch with the first two counts of indecent assault and one count of harassment after an incident in the borough on April 1.
In the April 1 incident, Weikel charged Schlauch with following a 14-year-old girl into the kitchen and touching her indecently. Earlier, Schlauch allegedly asked the girl on a date and she asked him if he was desperate.
At that point, Weikel reported Schlauch said to the teen, "If I was desperate, I would just rape you."
Weikel said Schlauch was with another girl, who is younger than 16, in January on a youth group outing, during which he touched her indecently.
Weikel said Schlauch laughed and told the girl that if he wanted to he would rape her or any of her friends.
Weikel said that, in August, Schlauch indecently grabbed another girl, also younger than 16, and touched her indecently. That girl also reported she was on a youth group outing with Schlauch and, while in a van, he was touching her.
Weikel said the investigation into the incidents involving Schlauch continues and that further victims may be discovered.
In connection with the April 1 incident, Hale arraigned Schlauch and set bail at $15,000 straight cash before remaining him to prison.
On May 2, Schuylkill County Senior Judge D. Michael Stine, denied Schlauch a bail reduction and he remains in prison.
In light of the bail reduction denial and Schlauch's incarceration, Hale set an additional $5,000 unsecured bail on each of the two new complaints filed Wednesday and ordered Schlauch back to jail.
Hale told Schlauch each of the indecent assault charges carries a maximum penalty of 2 years in prison and fines of $5,000 while the harassment charges carry a maximum penalty of 1 year in prison and a fine of $2,500.
"These are very serious charges," she said.