Tyrone man facing solicitation, corruption of minors charges
Investigation comes following fight between two female juveniles
Trending
From Mirror staff reports
A Tyrone man faces criminal solicitation, corruption of minors and other charges related to a case in which a juvenile stabbed another in April.
Kenneth Ray Sweeney, 53, was arraigned Sunday before Magisterial District Judge Matthew Dunio on felony charges of criminal solicitation of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse person less than 16 years of age, conspiracy to robbery, aggravated assault, unlawful contact with a minor, criminal use of a communication facility and corruption of minors, along with misdemeanor charges of corruption of minors, simple assault, possession of a weapon, tampering with evidence and theft.
Unable to post $250,000 bail, he was remanded to the Blair County Prison. His preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 12 before Magisterial District Judge Fred B. Miller.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Tyrone police investigated an armed robbery that occurred April 9 on the 100 block of West 12th Street in Tyrone Borough.
At that time, a 15-year-old female victim was stabbed multiple times by a 14-year-old female. The altercation was over a cellphone given to the victim by Sweeney, police reported. It was alleged the phone was given to the teen in exchange for sex acts and the phone was taken by the 14-year-old after the stabbing, police reported.
During the investigation, police talked with Sweeney as well as the two teens and others.
The 14-year-old allegedly admitted to stabbing the victim and stated Sweeney had asked for sexual favors from the victim in exchange for the phone. The 14-year-old was asked to get the phone after the victim refused to provide favors, police were told.
Sweeney said he believed he knew where the knife used in the stabbing was located and led police to a storm drain where officers recovered the weapon.
Police found video footage that shows Sweeney stopping his vehicle near the drain. The 14-year-old gets out of the vehicle and enters a nearby residence, while Sweeney exits the vehicle, goes to the rear and out of camera view. He returns a few seconds later and gets into the vehicle, police said, noting the drain where the knife was found is behind the vehicle.
The 14-year-old told police Sweeney gave her the knife knowing there was going to be a fight over the phone. After the stabbing, she called Sweeney, who picked her up. She was shown a photograph of the recovered knife and indicated it was the knife she used to stab the victim.
Police also viewed text messages between Sweeney and the 14-year-old, asking the girl to contact the victim about performing a sex act on him, according to court documents.
In addition, police viewed a video of the stabbing shared on social media and the 14-year-old chasing another female while saying "now give me that f***ing phone," the report states.
The victim was treated for three stab wounds at UPMC Altoona, police said.
In an interview with police, the victim said she and the 14-year-old had been friends. The victim said of Sweeney: "he literally took me to Shea Field and said I'll give you $100 and a phone if you do this." She said this meant a sex act. He thought she was going to do it, so he gave her the phone.
The victim called Sweeney a pedophile, saying he allegedly bragged about having sex with underage girls.
Another juvenile told police Sweeney said he gave the victim $100 and a new phone for a sex act.
Police said the investigation revealed that Sweeney did solicit the victim for the purposes of subjecting her to involuntary servitude. When she didn't perform the requested sex acts, he then directed another minor to get the cellphone back, provided a knife and then attempted to dispose of it in the storm drain, the affidavit states.