PORT CARBON - Charges against Kevin L. Harris, 29, of 810 Race St., Pottsville, for allegedly sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl were held over for court Tuesday by District Magisterial Judge David A. Plachko.
Port Carbon police charged Harris on May 14 with three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault and one felony count each of indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors stemming from several incidents.
Port Carbon police Patrolman Joseph Ferraro charged Harris on May 14 with the assault on a young girl who was 7 years old at the time of the incident, July 2010, which occurred at 74 Coal St., Pottsville.
Harris was committed to Schuylkill County Prison unable to post 10 percent of $100,000 bail set by Magisterial District Judge David. A. Pachko, Port Carbon.
The victim said the incident occurred between July 2010 and June 2011 while her mother was at work. She also said Tuesday that there were three assaults: the first and second when the victim was 6 years old, with the third occurring when she was 7 years old.
According to the victim's mother, Harris lived with her daughter, herself and their children after he was released from prison in December 2008 for breaking his parole in 2007. She said the incidents occurred while he lived with them.
The victim initially said that the incidents would occur in the mornings, but then said they would occur after school, and later said again that they would occur in the mornings.
During the preliminary hearing on Tuesday, the victim's mother said her daughter told her about the incidents after Christmas break in 2012. She said her daughter told her they occurred at night.
The victim said Harris started crying after her mother approached him with the situation and that her mother initially did not believe her.
The victim said she was afraid to tell her mother because she believed Harris would hurt her mother. She said she would hear Harris threaten to kill her mother when he and her mother would fight.
The victim's mother said she and Harris fought on unrelated matters before and after she was made aware of the incidents. The mother also said to her daughter that she may have said she wished Harris wasn't around out of anger at some point.
The victim said that she told two close family friends, to whom she referred to as cousins, about the incidents a few months after approaching her mother. She said her cousins then told other members of their family. Their father contacted the victim's mother and approached her with the issue about July 4, 2013, according to the mother.
"No one would believe me, so I had to tell someone," the victim said while crying.
Ferraro said the investigation into the incidents began Dec. 6, 2013, when Schuylkill County Children and Youth Services workers said a young girl and mother reported the inappropriate actions of Harris.
Harris was jailed May 14 for the charges that he sexually assaulted a young girl.
In previous court cases, Harris pleaded guilty June 18 to charges of aggravated assault with a knife from an incident in August 2013, with prosecutors withdrawing charges of simple assault and disorderly conduct.
As a result, Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin sentenced Harris to serve 27 to 54 months in a state correctional institution, pay costs, $50 to the Criminal Justice Enhancement Account and $6,076.82 restitution to his victim, Michael Reno II, and submit a DNA sample to law enforcement authorities.
Pottsville police charged Harris with assaulting Reno on Aug. 2, 2013, in the city. Assistant District Attorney Jennifer N. Lehman said the assault occurred in the 1100 block of West Norwegian Street.
According to Republican-Herald archives, on June 18, Harris withdrew his guilty plea in another case in which he was charged with aggravated assault, prohibited possession of firearm, terroristic threats, simple assault and recklessly endangering another person. Prosecutors placed that case back on the trial list; the earliest Harris can be tried on it is the August criminal court term.
In that case, Pottsville police alleged that while he was arguing with Yvette A. Brown on Nov. 27, 2013, in the city, he pulled out a pistol from his waistband, pointed it at her face and yelled that he should "blow your brains out." Brown was able to run into a bedroom to call police, but Harris continued after her, trying to kick in the bedroom door, police said.