Rape charge against North Huntingdon man dismissed as part of plea deal

A North Huntingdon man will serve two years on probation for the simple assault of a woman who initially claimed she was raped while unconscious.

Dominic Anthony Zuccarelli, 27, pleaded guilty Monday to one amended misdemeanor charge after prosecutors dismissed felony counts of rape of an unconscious victim and sexual assault.

According to court records, the 24-year-old woman told police she awoke in Zuccarelli’s home the morning after she and other friends watched a hockey game together on May 26, 2021. The woman claimed she had been drinking the night before and in morning was in Zuccarelli’s bed with no clothes below her waist and no memory of what had occurred.

Police said that in messages between Zuccarelli and the woman on a social media site he admitted to having sex with her that night after others had left the gathering.

Westmoreland County District attorney Nicole Ziccarelli said prosecutors agreed to drop the felony charges as jury selection for the trial was scheduled to begin Monday morning.

“With the consent of the victim and after a thorough evaluation of the evidence, the commonwealth made the determination to resolve the case with a plea. The defendant will have to undergo an evaluation with (a psychologist) and follow any recommended treatment to ensure the safety of the community,” Ziccarelli said.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Megan Bilik-DeFazio imposed the terms of the plea bargain that included a requirement that Zuccarelli also serve six months on house arrest as part of the probation term.