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City man contests charges

Woomer on trial for interfering with custody of child, corruption of minor

HOLLIDAYSBURG — An Altoona man is contesting criminal charges filed last year after police found him in a Greenwood motel room with an intoxicated, naked 16-year-old male in his bed.

The teenager, who testified Monday in Blair County Court, had no recollection of what happened inside the motel room in the early morn­ing hours of Feb. 25, 2018.

But the youth recalled going to the motel room because Adam J. Woomer, 37, lived there and he had anti-anxiety pills. The youth also testified that before arriving, he and Woomer stopped at Woomer’s friends’ house, where the youth drank some vodka and orange juice.

On the first day of a jury trial that could wrap up today or Wednesday, Woom­er portrayed himself as a victim of lies and prejudices linked to his sexual orientation.

“The evidence they will present is largely untrue,” Woomer said in an opening statement he gave before the jury. “They made assumptions about me because I’m homosexual.”

Despite Woomer’s claim, Assistant District Attorney Derek Elensky told the jury that the case comes down to protection of children. Elensky is asking for guilty verdicts on interfering with the custody of a child, corruption of minors and furnishing alcohol to a minor.

Monday’s testimony indicated that Altoona police officers found the youth in a motel room with Woomer and arranged for the boy to be transported to UPMC Altoona. This occurred, witnessed said, a few hours after the youth’s father told Woomer to stay away from his son.

The youth’s mother testified that she was in earshot of hearing her husband speak with Woomer.

“I heard him say: ‘What’s your business with my 16-year-old son? You’re too old to be around him,'” the mother said.

Woomer, represented by defense attorney Scott N. Pletcher of Centre County, tried to take over his own representation Monday, a request that Judge Daniel Milliron concluded, was made too late. While Milliron allowed Woomer to give his own opening, that nearly led to a mistrial when Woomer referenced the youth’s prior criminal activity. Milliron also directed Woomer to restrain from referring to people as homophobic.

The defense also tried to bring out the reasons as to why the youth left his house and went with Woomer.

“Isn’t it important for the police to know why (the youth) ran away?” Pletcher asked Altoona police officer Dennis Tymensky, one of two officers who found the youth. Tymensky said no.

“Mr. Woomer opened the door and he’s in his underwear,” Tymensky said. “We see (the youth) in bed … he’s not waking up and he’s completely nude. He’s definitely under the influence of something.”

State police Trooper Eric Griswold, who filed the char­ges, also recalled Woomer telling him that he thought the youth was 21 years old.

“I was surprised that he was 16,” Griswold said.

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