Emlenton man accused of repeated sexual assaults of girl

From staff reports

An Emlenton man is facing dozens of charges that accuse him of sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 16 for about two years at a residence in Cornplanter Township.

Franklin state police said in a criminal complaint that on Dec. 28, the girl’s parents told police that Eric Deitz, 45, was caught on home security camera having sex with their daughter.

When police interviewed Deitz, he admitted he had been recorded on camera having sex with the girl, the complaint said.

A forensic interview was conducted Jan. 18 with the girl who told the interviewer she began having sexual encounters with Deitz in the summer of 2019, the complaint said.

The girl said that after the first sexual encounter she had with Deitz, which happened when he asked her to come watch a movie with him, she told a friend and the two of them told Deitz “it was not right” and they shouldn’t be doing that, the complaint said.

The girl went on to tell the interviewer that she again had sexual contact with Deitz a couple of weeks later, according to the complaint.

She told the interviewer Deitz would have sex with her three times a week and they would cuddle every day, the complaint said. The complaint also notes that Deitz provided the girl with alcohol on multiple occasions.

The girl said that one time when she was going to a sleepover with her friends, Deitz asked her if she wanted any alcohol for her and her friends, and after that, he frequently asked her if she wanted any type of alcohol, according to the complaint.

The girl also “explained that she was drinking almost every weekend for the better part of a year,” and that she stopped because she felt sick and didn’t want it to affect her sports activities and her mother found alcohol containers in her room, the complaint said.

Deitz has been charged with 10 felony counts each of aggravated indecent assault-complainant less than 16, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse person less than 16, statutory sexual assault 11 years older and corruption of minors-defendant 18 or above, and 10 misdemeanor counts each of indecent assault person less than 16 and sell/furnish liquor, etc. to a minor.

Deitz was arraigned Tuesday and placed in the Venango County jail with bail denied for the “safety of the victim.” His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Wednesday in Central Court.