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KINGSTON — An employee at a residential group home for people with intellectual disabilities was charged Monday with molesting a resident in July.
Police charged William Harry Hontz II, 38, of Carroll Street, Pittston, with indecent assault alleging he performed a lewd sex act on an adult male resident at the group home on Church Street.
Hontz was employed as a direct support professional for Pennsylvania Mentor, which operates the group home.
According to the criminal complaint:
Police responded to Pennsylvania Mentor on July 9 on a report an employee, identified as Hontz, had inappropriate contact with a resident.
Administrative personnel for Pennsylvania Mentor told police the resident was actively engaged on an Internet dating site known as “Badoo.” While involved on the dating site using a cellphone, the resident claimed Hontz masturbated him and took pictures using the cellphone.
Police recovered the cellphone for forensic analysis.
Hontz voluntarily agreed to an interview with police on Aug. 9.
During the interview, Hontz admitted he had inappropriate contact with the resident and engaged in inappropriate behavior with the resident on the Internet, the complaint says.
Hontz, accompanied by his attorney Qiana Murphy Lehman, surrendered at the Kingston office of District Judge James Haggerty who arraigned him on the indecent assault charge. Since he was represented by an attorney, Hontz waived his right to a preliminary hearing sending the charge to county court.
He remains free on $10,000 unsecured bail.