Charleroi man to stand trial
A Charleroi man was ordered held for court Wednesday for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl when she was 13 years old.
Lucas Michael Gessel, 23, of 336-Rear Isabella Ave., was ordered to stand trial on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by threat and forcible compulsion, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 16 years old, sexual assault, indecent assault without consent, by threat and by forcible compulsion, indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old, corruption of minors, improper contact with a minor, intimidation of a witness and furnishing alcohol to a minor. District Judge Gary Havelka dismissed the charge of false imprisonment as requested by defense attorney Noah Geary after testimony during the preliminary hearing in Central Court.
The girl, who is now 15, described how Gessel forced her to engage in sex acts while the two were in the basement of a Charleroi home from late December 2013 through March 2014.
The girl said the alleged assaults happened seven or eight times. She said the two would go to the basement and smoke marijuana.
She testified he threatened to harm her, her mother and brother if she would not comply with his demands. When she threatened to tell her mother last March, he allegedly held a pick ax over her head.
“I thought he was going to hit me,” she said.
Geary asked that Havelka reduce Gessel’s bond, calling the $500,000 amount excessive. Assistant District Attorney Kristin Clingerman countered that it was appropriate given his prior record, which includes his arrest on charges of aggravated assault and simple assault in another county. Havelka amended the bond, making it $250,000.