A 61-year-old Erie resident has been arrested on charges that he sexually abused a girl over a nine-year period, starting when she was as young as 8 and ending when she was 17.
The girl initiated the investigation when she made a report to Erie police in November, according to arrest records.
The defendant, Charles T. Freeman, is accused of molesting the girl from 2016 to 2025 at a residence in Erie, according to the criminal complaint and affidavit of probable cause.
Erie police charged Freeman on May 6 with 11 counts. They include four first-degree felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and a second-degree felony count of aggravated indecent assault. Freeman was arraigned on May 8 and jailed at the Erie County Prison on $125,000 bond, which a bail bondsman posted on May 11, according to court records.
Detective Sgt. Brian Barber, who specializes in crimes against children, filed the charges. He wrote in the affidavit of probable cause that the girl told him that Freeman sexually abused her as often as once a week over the nine-year period.
The girl, according to affidavit, also told police that “Charles told her to never tell anyone about this or talk about it.” The affidavit states that Freeman “told her if they ever got caught or anything just lie until death.”
A lawyer for Freeman was not immediately listed in court records. The affidavit states that Barber visited Freeman’s residence on Nov. 25 and informed him “of the allegations made against him and I asked him if he would like to make a statement. Charles invoked his right not to make a statement.”
Barber also wrote in the affidavit: “I reviewed this case with the Erie County District Attorney’s Office and I was directed to file charges based off the information received from the child victim along with other corroborating evidence that I have found during my investigation.”
The corroborating evidence is not listed in the affidavit but could come up at Freeman’s preliminary hearing. It is scheduled for May 27 before Erie 6th Ward District Judge Timothy Beveridge.
Contact Ed Palattella at epalattella@usatodayco.com or 814-870-1813.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie man, 61, charged with sexually abusing girl over 9-year period