Lower Burrell man denies sex assault, gun charges

A Lower Burrell man denied to a Westmoreland County jury on Wednesday that he had sexual contact with a preteen girl who claimed she was molested.

“I did nothing close to anything like that,” Edgar Lee Williams testified during the second day of his trial in which a now teen-age girl contends she was sexually assaulted at least once three years ago.

Williams, 42, is accused of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, unlawful contact and corruption of a minor.

In a separate case before the jury, Williams is accused of four weapons offenses. Prosecutors said police found four guns in Williams’ home and that because he was previously convicted of felony burglary offenses he can’t legally possess the weapons.

In the sexual assault case, prosecutors contend Williams had repeated contact with the child, who he lured into a room and had sexual contact.

Williams described his accuser as lonely young girl whom he befriended. He testified that just days before the sexual assault was disclosed, Williams reported to the girl’s parents that he witnessed her being physically assaulted.

Assistant Public Defender James Robinson asked Williams, the final defense witness to testify during the two-day trial, if he ever had any sexual contact with his accuser.

“No sir, other than the occasional hug, no,” Williams said.

Williams also denied the allegations that he possessed the four guns police found during a search of his home in February 2021 as part of the investigation into the sexual assault allegations. Police testified they suspected guns were in the home based on a description Williams’ accuser gave.

Police testified they found three handguns and an assault-style weapon. Two loaded handguns were found out in the open, according to police.

Westmoreland County Detective John Clark testified Williams confessed to shooting the guns with a neighbor.

But Williams testified the weapons were owned by his live-in fiancee who removed them from the home whenever he was present. He denied handling or shooting the guns, which he claimed were kept by his fiancee for protection.

“I know because of my burglaries I am not allowed to be around guns. When I not going to be there for four or five days, I have someone bring the guns over,” Williams said. “It just boggles the mind that as a U.S. citizen I don’t have these rights. The constitution says we have the right to bear arms.”

Attorneys will make closing arguments to the jury when the trial reconvenes Thursday morning.