Sexual assault suspect held for court
Sexual assault charges Uniontown police filed against a man for allegedly assaulting an 11-year-old girl in December 2006 were held for court at a preliminary hearing Tuesday. An intimidation of witnesses charge filed against the suspect, Richard Alan Brownfield, 35, of Apartment 2, 161 Union St., also was held for court. The alleged victim, who is now 14 years old, testified that she was asleep on the couch in the living room of her home when Brownfield woke her up by removing her sweatpants and underwear.
After he assaulted her, she said he gave her a glass of water and told her to go to bed.
The next day, Brownfield asked her if she remembered what had happened and she said she didn’t because she was afraid to tell him.
He told her not to tell anybody what happened if she did remember, she said.
She said she didn’t tell anybody about the alleged assault until last summer, two years later, because she was afraid. She said she was taking a shower when she remembered what happened and told her mother.
Her mother became upset and called a friend who told her to call police, the girl said.
City police interviewed her and her mother at their home that night, she said.
Before the alleged assault occurred, the girl said she was watching cartoons on television when Brownfield tried to get her to watch a program showing nude adults having sex, but he turned the TV back to the cartoons after she refused to watch, she said.
Under cross-examination, the girl testified that she pretended to be asleep because she was too afraid to say anything to Brownfield while the alleged assault was taking place.
“I was scared to say anything. I was afraid. I didn’t want him to know I was awake,” the girl said.
She said she has tried to forget what happened, but it came back to her one day while she was showering and she told her mother.
The intimidation of witnesses charge stemmed from an incident in March in which Brownfield allegedly tried to coerce the girl’s mother into dropping the charges.
Brownfield has been charged with two counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, aggravated indecent assault of a child and indecent assault, and one count of corruption of minors and intimidation of witnesses.
Senior Magisterial District Judge Michael Rubish held all the charges for court.
Brownfield remains free on bail.
Fayette County Assistant District Attorney Jack R. Heneks Jr. prosecuted the case.
Attorney Angela Carsia of Pittsburgh represented Brownfield.