Man charged with indecent assault
Published: August 5, 2009
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share thisA Hop Bottom man has been charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl at a nearby business.
Peter Paul Provinzano Jr., 50, of RR 1 Box 1307, Hop Bottom, faces charges of indecent assault and corruption of minors. The charges stem from an alleged incident on June 23.
According to the police complaint, that morning Provinzano came to the business where the girl worked to make a purchase. The girl told police that while the transaction was in process, Provinzano reached over and touched her stomach, then slid his hand up and touched her breast.
Provinzano then followed the girl in to the office and around the counter, the complaint says. He asked her if she drove and how old she was. She responded that she was only 15.
The complaint alleges that Provinzano then hugged the girl for a long time and would not let her go. He rubbed her back, and she had to slide out of his grasp.
When police interviewed Provinzano, he denied touching the girl’s breast. He said he hugged her and thanked her while inside the office, then shook her hand.
As police continued questioning, Provinzano said while he did not remember touching the girl inappropriately, it could have happened accidentally.
Provinzano is free on $10,000 bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 15 at 10 a.m. before Magisterial District Justice Russell Shurtleff in Factoryville.
State police Trooper Robert A. Kennedy investigated.
