Police have charged an 18-year-old Leechburg man with sexually assaulting a juvenile runaway under the age of 13.
Pennsylvania State Police in Kittanning filed charges against Ethan James Cogley last Thursday in connection with the alleged incidents.
Cogley was arraigned Thursday and faces five felony charges including indecent assault of a person under 13 years of age, aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, interference with custody of children and corruption of minors/defendant 18 or older and a misdemeanor charge of corruption of minors.
The complaint did not indicate the alleged victim’s gender.
Two state police officers investigated a report of a runaway in Armstrong County on Jan. 22.
In the complaint, police said the alleged victim left their home and met up with Cogley several times during the week, without permission from their guardian.
On one occasion, the complaint said, Cogley touched, groped, cuddled and kissed the alleged victim. He later transported the person back home, police said.
Police said the victim reported smoking marijuana with Cogley on two occasions.
The victim told police in the complaint that Cogley wanted to have sex.
In the complaint, Cogley told police he was aware of the victim’s age but continued further contact with the victim.
Cogley’s phone had photos of the victim in their underwear on his Snapchat social media app, police said.
Police obtained a written statement in January from Cogley while he was in custody in Kittanning.
In a written statement to police, Cogley wrote that he had kissed, touched and had given hickies to the victim.
He acknowledged to police that he knew the victim’s age and that the person was a minor, police said.
Cogley remains free on $25,000 unsecured bond while awaiting a preliminary hearing on March 3 before District Judge James Andring in Leechburg, online court records show.
Court records list Cogley’s attorney as Timothy Kidd.
Kidd declined to comment Monday on the charges.
