Jury acquits man on 2 of 14 sexual abuse related charges
After several hours of deliberations, a Fayette County jury could only reach a verdict on two of the 14 charges that a Masontown man faced for allegedly sexually abusing three girls between 1995 and 1998. Jurors acquitted Barry Wayne Jordan Sr., 39, of indecent assault and corruption of minors relating to one of the alleged victims. On the remaining charges, which include rape, statutory sexual assault and indecent assault, the panel could not reach a unanimous verdict.
Judge John F. Wagner Jr. declared a mistrial on those charges, and prosecutors can retry Jordan on those charges at a later date.
The alleged victims – now all adults – brought the allegations to state police in 2006 and told authorities that Jordan sexually abused them when they were girls.
Two of the women testified that Jordan raped them each one time, and the other victim testified that Jordan fondled her.
In his closing remarks on Thursday, Jordan’s attorney, Charles Gentile, told jurors they needed to question why it took the women so long to come forward about the alleged abuse.
The Herald-Standard does not identify alleged victims of sexual assault.