CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – A Knox man is facing dozens of charges related to alleged sex crimes is scheduled to appear in plea court on Wednesday.
According to court documents, 33-year-old Chad Aaron Renninger, of Knox, is scheduled to appear at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 13, in the Clarion County Court of Common Pleas with President Judge James G. Arner presiding.
He faces the following charges:
– Corruption Of Minors – Defendant Age 18 or Above, Felony 3 (two counts)
– Indecent Assault Person Less than 13 Years of Age, Felony 3 (17 counts)
– Indecent Assault Person Less than 16 Years Age, Misdemeanor 2 (17 counts)
– Invasion of Privacy – Photograph, view, etc., intimate parts of other person, Misdemeanor 3 (six counts)
– Criminal Attempt – Invasion of Privacy – Photograph, view, etc., intimate parts of other person, Misdemeanor 3 (six counts)
Case Details:
According to a criminal complaint filed on February 13 by Trooper Hotchkiss, the investigation began on July 18, 2016, when a female victim accompanied by her parents arrived at the Clarion-based State Police barracks to report an alleged case of sexual abuse.
During an interview, the victim told Trooper Hotchkiss that Renninger sexually assaulted her multiple times at his Beaver Township residence.
According to the criminal complaint, she stated that the abuse started when she was five-years-old and continued through age 11.
The victim stated that Renninger “would kiss her, undress her and touch her body” in his bedroom approximately four to five times per week. She said the abuse ended when Renninger got married, the complaint states.
The victim also relayed that Renninger attempted to video record her while she was in the bathroom, the complaint indicates.
On one occasion, the victim was getting ready to take a shower and noticed Renninger’s laptop sitting on the counter in “record mode.” She then reviewed the footage and deleted it, according to the criminal complaint.
The victim also told Trooper Hotchkiss that she viewed a video in which a second female victim was recorded, the complaint continues.
Victim 2 Interviewed
Trooper Hotchkiss conducted an interview with a second female juvenile victim who stated that Renninger attempted to video record her approximately five times, according to the complaint.
During the summer of 2015, the victim stayed overnight at Renninger’s house multiple times. The victim recounted the first incident in which Renninger recorded her when “she was going to take a shower and before she went into the bathroom, (Renninger) told her that he would put music on for her and went into the bathroom and set up his laptop,” according to the complaint.
The victim told Trooper Hotchkiss that “before she undressed, she noticed no music was playing but a red light was on. She looked at the laptop, and it was in record mode,” the complaint indicates.
She said that similar incidents occurred on two additional occasions at Renninger’s residence and twice while she was camping with Renninger’s family, the complaint continues.
The victim stated that Renninger never touched her; however, she said she was aware of a male victim that was allegedly sexually abused by Renninger and “forced to touch (Renninger) but was too afraid to talk about it,” according to the complaint.
Male Victim Interviewed
During an interview with Trooper Hotchkiss, the male victim stated that he was sexually abused following Renninger’s divorce approximately three years ago. The abuse occurred on multiple occasions during the past three years at the victim’s house and at Renninger’s house, according to the complaint.
“(Renninger) would grab the victim’s hand and force him to touch (Renninger’s) private parts,” according to the victim.
Renninger also allegedly took the victim’s pants off and took his own pants off. He then allegedly made contact with the victim in an inappropriate manner, according to the criminal complaint.
The victim also alleged that Renninger sexually abused him in a bathhouse during a 2010 camping trip, the complaint states.
According to the criminal complaint, the victim stated that the abuse last occurred in June of 2016.
He also told Trooper Hotchkiss that “he was too scared to say anything” at the time, the complaint states.
Court documents indicate that the victim was between the ages of 7 and 10 when the abuse took place.
Renninger was taken into custody on February 13 and placed in the Clarion County Jail in lieu of $25,000.00 cash bail.
Online court records indicate that the bail type was changed to unsecured on February 14 following an undisclosed agreement between Renninger’s attorney and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Renninger was released later that day.
Renninger is still awaiting a preliminary hearing on other rape and sexual assault charges that resulted from a police investigation into incidents that allegedly occurred between 1997 and 2001. The hearing is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 16, in Central Court.
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