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Attorney: Former Connellsville councilman denies allegations of indecent assault

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The attorney for a former Connellsville councilman charged with indecent assault of a teenage girl said Friday that his client “denies each and every one of the allegations” lodged against him.

Attorney Shane Gannon said Brad Geyer, 36, of Connellsville was “shocked” by allegations that he provided a teenage girl wine and groped her on several occasions between May 2015, when the girl was 14, and April 2017.

“Brad has basically dedicated his life to helping others and has been a pillar of the community,” Gannon said.

Geyer served on Connellsville council for three terms, and until he was charged Thursday, was a senatorial legislative aide. He was fired from that position after charges were filed against him. He’s been involved in several community organizations, and acted as president for the Geyer Performing Arts Center in Scottdale, Westmoreland County.

As the case unfolds, Gannon said Geyer will not hold any role at the community theater.

“He is going to step away during the proceedings until the matter’s resolved, so as not to take attention away from any of the participants, the shows or the theater itself,” Gannon said.

The Geyer Performing Arts Center, which hosts PAC-produced shows as well as ones done by other organizations, pulls in cast members of all ages from communities around the area.

According to the charges filed by Connellsville police, the alleged victim in the case disclosed the sexual contact to a therapist last month. The therapist alerted ChildLine, a mandatory reporting line for allegations of child abuse. When she was interviewed, the teen reportedly told authorities she met Geyer through their work at the performing arts center about a decade ago.

The Herald-Standard does not identify those who allege they are victims in cases that involve charges of a sexual nature.

Geyer was charged with one felony count of criminal attempt to commit corruption of minors, 11 misdemeanor counts of indecent assault of a person less than 16 and one misdemeanor count of furnishing liquor to a minor.

He was arraigned Thursday, and released on a $10,000 unsecured bond. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 17 before Fayette County Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty.

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