STATE COLLEGE — A Reedsville man who was arrested last year for a 1995 crime in the borough has challenged the validity of the arrest warrant and evidence gathered by police as part of their investigation, according to a media report.

Scott R. Williams was arrested in October and charged by State College police with rape and other charges for the incident.

WJAC-TV reports that, in a pretrial motion, Williams’ attorney has asked the court to dismiss the case. According to WJAC, Williams’ attorney argued against the arrest warrant, issued in 2000 against an unknown assailant identified only by DNA. Also raised were legal questions regarding the gathering of evidence in Williams’ case.

Other issues raised include Williams’ right to a speedy trial and any statements he may have made to police, according to the WJAC report.

According to an affidavit of probable cause that led to Williams’ arrest, a DNA sample was taken from the victim at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville on May 13, 1995, after she was found in a disheveled state by a passerby.

In 2002, State College police asked the FBI to perform an updated test on the DNA evidence. Additional testing was performed and the profile was stored in a law enforcement database.

In 2020, police sent the samples to two companies to see if the DNA profile matched genetic genealogy in order to identify a suspect. An initial report from one of the companies indicated that the suspect is a white male of European descent.

Through genealogy, a woman later found to be a blood relative of Williams was identified, questioned and agreed to provide a DNA sample for confirmation, police said.

In February 2021, police observed Williams at an event in Mifflin County, hoping to surreptitiously obtain items handled by Williams to make a DNA comparison, according to court documents. Police were able to obtain items discarded by another family member at that event, and again confirmed a relationship using DNA, documents state.

Detectives later gathered discarded items at Williams’ home that were tested and compared.

As a result of those tests, police said they identified Williams as the only member of the household who could both have similar DNA and have committed the crime under investigation.

Williams was charged with one count each of rape, aggravated assault, robbery, indecent assault, simple assault, recklessly endangering another person, theft by unlawful taking or disposition and receiving stolen property.

He posted bail in December and was released subject to electronic monitoring.