A Bradford man is in McKean County Jail on allegations that he sexually assaulted a juvenile female, impregnating her.
Mark Hardy, 22, of 297 E. Main St., is charged with ten counts of statutory sexual assault, second-degree felonies; one count of interference with the custody of children, a third-degree felony; and 10 counts of indecent assault of a person less than 16, second-degree misdemeanors.
According to the criminal complaint, in January, the mother of a 15-year-old female contacted Bradford City Police about her daughter running away to stay with her boyfriend, Hardy. When police spoke to Hardy, he denied knowing where the female was. In April, the juvenile turned herself in at Bradford City Police station, accompanied by her father. She told police she was with Hardy the entire time she was gone, and that when police came to talk to him, Hardy would have her go to the basement.
She said the two ended up going to New York to stay with a friend of Hardy’s because the police kept coming around and he was worried she would be found. They came back to Bradford and argued, and the juvenile left to turn herself in. On April 21, police spoke to the juvenile’s father, who said his daughter is pregnant, the due date is November and Hardy is the father, the complaint stated.
During subsequent interviews, the juvenile told police that Hardy had known she was 15, and she knew he was 21, and that the two had sex multiple times, according to the complaint. When Hardy was interviewed, he admitted the juvenile had been with him, that she was inside his residence when police came and that he had sex with her, the complaint stated.
Hardy was arraigned Tuesday morning before District Judge Rich Luther and remanded to jail in lieu of $50,000 bail. He is scheduled to appear in Central Court on Oct. 26.