Glenburn Twp. man arrested on molestation charges
Dec. 29—Investigators charged a Glenburn Twp. man with repeatedly sexually assaulting a boy over a period of several years.
Jerry Jay Phillips, 63, 20 Fig Ave., was arrested Wednesday and charged with statutory sexual assault and other offenses after an investigation by Lackawanna County detectives and Waverly Twp. police.
Investigators accused Phillips of molesting the boy on numerous occasions at a home in the Abingtons beginning around 2003.
The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.
According to a criminal complaint, the investigation began in June after the victim, now in his 20s, initially disclosed the abuse to Waverly Police Officer Gordon Demming. He told Demming he was 8 years old when the abuse started.
In a followup interview with Demming and county Detective Chris Kolcharno, the victim detailed multiple assaults that happened through his teens years, according to the complaint.
The victim recalled that Phillips started crying after one assault, saying he was sorry and telling the boy he was sick, the complaint said.
He told investigators that Phillips on multiple occasions apologized for assaulting him and said he would not do it again but always did.
The victim said he never told anyone about the assaults because he was afraid no one would believe him, the complaint said. He also said Phillips instructed him not to tell anyone because he would get into trouble.
In addition to statutory sexual assault, Phillips was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge George Seig on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person under 16, endangering the welfare of children and unlawful contact with a minor.
He was released after posting $75,000 bail to await his preliminary hearing, which is scheduled Jan. 11 at 10:45 a.m.
Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9132
