A Bradford man is in McKean County Jail on what is thought to be the highest bail ever set in the county — $5 million.
Darvin Carpenter II, 51, of Park Street, is charged with 212 counts involving the rape and/or sexual assault of five juvenile victims, ranging in age from 5 to 17.
According to the criminal complaint, the alleged incidents took place from 2000 to 2022 in residences throughout the county, including Mount Jewett Borough, Lafayette Township and Keating Township.
The criminal complaint in the case alleged that the assaults came to light when one of the victims, approximately 13 years of age, was interviewed at the Children’s Advocacy Center of McKean County, and disclosed that Carpenter had touched her in a sexual manner several times, beginning when she was in 6th grade.
A second victim told state police that when she was 12 to 15, Carpenter would buy her cigarettes and make her perform sex acts when she was a juvenile. She told police about a third victim who witnessed the assaults and was assaulted as well, the complaint alleged.
The third victim said that when she was 12 to 16, Carpenter would give her cigarettes, alcohol and marijuana and force her to perform sex acts, the complaint alleged.
Police received information about two additional victims. The fourth victim told police Carpenter had raped her from when she was 5 until she was about 12, and estimated it happened more than 100 times, the complaint alleged.
The fifth victim said Carpenter asked her multiple times when she was a juvenile, age 12 to 17, to perform sex acts on him. She did not do so. He also touched her inappropriately when she was a juvenile. When she was an adult, he forced her to perform a sex act on him, the complaint alleged.
Carpenter was arraigned at 10 a.m. Friday before District Judge David Engman in Kane and remanded to jail in lieu of the $5 million bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Central Court.
The charges against him are as follows: 10 counts rape of a child, 10 counts rape by forcible compulsion, 10 counts involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, 10 counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a victim less than 13, 20 counts involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion, one count of aggravated indecent assault of a child, and 25 counts of criminal solicitation of IDSI with a victim less than 16, all of which are first degree felonies; two counts of corruption of minors and one of indecent assault of a victim less than 13, all third-degree felonies.
He is also charged with 20 counts of sexual assault, second-degree felonies; 24 counts of indecent assault by forcible compulsion, 13 counts of indecent assault of a victim less than 13, all first-degree misdemeanors; 23 counts of indecent assault of a victim less than 16; and 18 counts of indecent assault without consent, all second-degree misdemeanors.
Many of the charges against Carpenter have mandatory minimum sentences under the Pennsylvania Sentencing Guidelines, and harsher sentences for crimes committed against children. With the mandatory sentences, should Carpenter be convicted of all counts, it would mean a sentence of more than 850 years imprisonment.
Under the law, a suspect is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.