Indecent assault and weapons charges filed against Elco man
Three criminal complaints were filed against an Elco man; two alleging he assaulted one woman and shot at another over the weekend, and a third set of charges that alleged he inappropriately touched a teenage girl over a two-year period.
Police said they were dispatched to a home in the Washington County borough Saturday morning after someone heard a woman yelling to call for help. When they arrived, they found Bruce C. Johnson, 46, and two women identified as Jennifer Sines and Megan Sines. Police did not specify in court paperwork how or if the women are related.
Johnson, police alleged, was drinking with the women Friday evening, and hit Megan Sines in the face and choked her.
According to the criminal complaint, after Megan Sines fell asleep, Jennifer Sines and Johnson started arguing and he grabbed a rifle, pointed it at her and stated, “I’m going to kill you and bury you in the back yard.”
Johnson then fired the rifle over Jennifer Sines’ head and out a window, police said.
When police arrived, an 18-year-old who was at the home told them Johnson had been inappropriately touching her for about two years.
Police allege the teen told them that starting in August 2016, Johnson began touching her. Court paperwork indicated that the alleged assaults occurred five times.
After one of the assaults, police alleged, the teen locked herself in the bathroom and cried. Johnson, they said, told her not to tell anyone what happened.
Police said the final alleged assault occurred in March.
The girl told police that Johnson said to her, “If you say another word, I’m going to cut you up and bury you in the back yard,” and repeatedly said he was going to kill her.
According to the complaint filed against Johnson, the girl said she was afraid to tell anyone what was happening. She also reportedly told authorities that when she was 15, Johnson told her to send him naked photograph of her buttocks so he could show his friends.
The Herald-Standard does not identify those who allege they are victims of sexual assault.
In that case, he was charged with corruption of minors, terroristic threats and four counts of indecent assault. In the other cases, Johnson faces charges of strangulation, simple assault, discharging a firearm in an occupied structure, terroristic threats and reckless endangerment.
Johnson is currently lodged in the Washington County Prison in lieu of $50,000 bond in each of the cases.
A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for 1 p.m. May 24 before Magisterial District Judge Larry Hopkins.