CLEARFIELD – A Clearfield man has been accused of sexually assaulting a young girl.
Richard Lee Howell, 29, has been charged by Trooper David Patrick of the Clearfield-based state police with felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, indecent assault person less than 13 years of age and corruption of minors/defendant age 18 or above.
Howell waived his right to a preliminary hearing Wednesday during centralized court at the Clearfield County Jail. Bail has been set at $50,000 monetary.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, the victim, an 8-year-old girl, was interviewed April 24 at the Child Advocacy Center of Clearfield County. She said on April 20, Howell picked her up in his white truck and drove to a dirt road.
He pulled off the road, stopped his truck and allegedly forced her to perform a sex act on him. She said afterward, he drove her to McDonald’s and bought her ice cream, telling her it was for what she’d done to him. She also said Howell took her to Wal-Mart, where he bought her a Hatchimal toy.
During the interview, the victim said Howell forced her to touch his private area two other times while she was at his Clearfield residence.