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Man accused of assaulting girl

Markel allegedly touched under-age family member

An Ashville man accused of sexually assaulting an under-age family member faces numerous felony and misdemeanor charges for allegedly forcefully touching the girl on several occasions.

William C. Markel, 72, of Rabbit Street is accused of first assaulting the girl when she was 14 years old, according to a criminal complaint filed Friday by state police in Ebensburg.

According to the complaint, when the girl was interviewed June 8, she told authorities that Markel first began talking to her about sex when she was 11 years old.

When she was 14, the girl, Markel and another family member went fishing, and while they fished, Markel first made “sexual advances” toward her, police wrote in the complaint, citing the interview.

That first alleged assault occurred a few years ago, police said.

Police said the girl reported that Markel offered her money to have sex with him, telling her “get undressed and just do it.”

Markel also forcefully touched the girl in inappropriate ways, according to the complaint.

“(The girl) related that she would tell him to stop and smack his hand away. Then she would move away from him,” according to the complaint.

A few days after the fishing incident, Markel again assaulted the girl inside a Gallitzin Township home where he was teaching her to play guitar, according to the complaint.

Then, the girl and Markel were sitting on a bed, and the girl told police Markel inched close to her and touched her inappropriately, according to the complaint, which notes that the girl told him to stop.

Another time, the girl was using a bathroom and opened the door to find Markel standing outside, police said. Markel then pushed the girl into a wall before again sexually assaulting her, according to the complaint, which again notes that the girl told him to stop.

This year, the girl again went fishing with Markel in Ashville, where he again assaulted her, touching her in inappropriate ways, the girl told police.

“She pulled his hand away twice and he went back for a third time,” police wrote in the complaint.

Markel was later interviewed by police and admitted to touching the girl on three occasions, according to the complaint.

Markel faces felony charges of endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors, online court documents show.

He also faces lesser charges of indecent assault without consent and indecent assault of a person younger than 16.

Online court documents show he was arraigned Friday before Magisterial District Judge John Prebish. He is to appear for a preliminary hearing at 1 p.m. Oct. 31.

Markel remains in Cambria County Prison unable to post 10 percent of $40,000 bail, online court documents show.

Mirror Staff Writer Sean Sauro is at 946-7535.

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