 
|
|||||||||
              
|
Suspected molester held on 173 counts
Saturday, March 11, 2000 By Bill Heltzel, Post-Gazette Staff Writer
While Robert E. Raynovich Sr. was in jail on numerous charges of sexually molesting children, he wrote a letter to the mother of two of his accusers, a detective said yesterday.
"Are we clear?" Natrona District Justice Carolyn Bengel bellowed at Raynovich. "You will have no contact -- no letters, no flowers, no phone calls!"
She ordered Raynovich held for court on 173 counts of various crimes and increased his bond by $100,000 to $650,000.
The 43-year-old insulation installer from Natrona has been accused of rape, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, indecent assault, indecent exposure, involuntary deviant sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, prostitution, corruption of minors, harassment, endangering the welfare of minors, simple assault, terroristc threats and furnishing alcohol to minors.
Raynovich has lived in the flats section of Natrona since the summer of 1998 and was well-known. His accusers knew him from community activities, a youth group his mother ran and from other children who frequented his house. Most of the incidents in which he is accused are said to have occurred at his house or his mother's house.
When Harrison and county police began investigating him in February, they discovered that he had been arrested and jailed previously in Ohio and Virginia on sexual charges involving children. But he had not been registered as a sex offender because his last case happened before a registration law was passed in Ohio.
Two women, two boys and seven girls testified at his preliminary hearing yesterday. The children all clung to stuffed reindeer, given to them by the Center for Victims of Violent Crime.
The most wrenching testimony was from a trembling, 7-year-old girl, whose voice was barely audible. As an aunt held her hand, she used euphemisms to identify male and female anatomy. She said Raynovich baby-sat her when her mother was at work. She said he fondled her several times and had sex with her three times.
The other children, ranging from 11 to 17 years old, testified that Raynovich fondled or had sex with them. Some testified that he showed them a pornographic video, gave them cigarettes and alcohol, or threatened them. The two women testified that he fondled them.
Raynovich was previously charged with sexual crimes against a 14-year-old girl. During that preliminary hearing Feb. 23, dozens of angry residents gathered outside the court on Garfield Street. Yesterday, a half-dozen police officers from Brackenridge, Fawn, Harrison and Tarentum stood watch, and state constables screened people for weapons as they entered the building. There were no incidents.
Raynovich's arraignment is scheduled for May 12.
|
||||||||
