Police: Latrobe man raped girl, 14, after giving her alcohol

A Latrobe man serving a state prison sentence for sexually assaulting several girls in Westmoreland County was arrested Tuesday on new rape charges.

Nicholas Lee Cook, 23, is accused by Greensburg and Latrobe police in connection with the rape of a then-14-year-old girl in January and February 2016. He is being held on $25,000 bail.

Investigators said the girl reported two occasions — one in Latrobe and a second in Greensburg — during which she felt pressured by Cook to drink liquor. During both instances, Cook had sex with her, according to court papers.

The girl told him to stop during the first alleged rape and “was very intoxicated and not able to offer any resistance” the second time, police said. Cook is charged with rape, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors and furnishing alcohol to a minor.

A May 20 preliminary hearing is set. He did not have an attorney listed in online court records.

Cook pleaded guilty and was sentenced in April 2017 to seven to 16 years in a state prison followed by 10 years of probation in connection with five rape and sexual assault cases filed by state police in 2016. He must register as a sex offender for life under Megan’s Law.

Police said then that Cook would meet girls between 12 and 14 at parks in Latrobe, Hempfield and Greensburg a few years ago. He would offer them rides, give them drugs and alcohol and invite them back to an apartment, where he would assault them, police said.

He is serving the sentence at a state prison in Somerset County, according to state records.