Man admits to sexual assault of two girls in Penn Township, police say

A Schuylkill County man who was living in Penn Township has been charged after he sexually assaulted two girls who are now 13, according to an affidavit filed with District Judge Jeffrey A. Sneeringer.

John Lewis Heemaneth, 52, of Tamaqua Boro, has been charged with aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 13, corruption of minors, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with child, indecent assault of a person less than 13, dissemination of sexually explicit material and indecent assault of an unconscious person.

Heemaneth was unable to post bail for both cases, which were each set at $50,000, according to court documents. He is being held at the York County Prison.

His preliminary arraignments for both cases were on Thursday, and his preliminary hearings are both scheduled for June 4. 

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On April 11, York County Children Youth and Families took a report in Penn Township for sexual assault allegations against Heemaneth on behalf of the two 13-year-olds, the affidavit said. The CYS worker first spoke to Heemaneth on the phone, made him aware of the allegations and made arrangements to meet with him at his home to get documents signed.

The CYS worker arrived at the residence several hours later and was unable to make contact, the affidavit said. The worker then learned that Heemaneth sent several text messages to the mother of one of the victims apologizing and saying goodbye.

The CYS worker then called Penn Township Police for assistance, and patrol units were able to make contact, the affidavit said. Police found Heemaneth in his bathtub with large self-inflicted cuts and excessive blood loss.

Police determined that he had made a substantial step in attempted suicide, the affidavit said. Heemaneth asked police if they were going to arrest him.

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One of the victims told police that Heemaneth began touching and sexually assaulting her at the age of 6 or 7 in 2012 in Northampton County, the affidavit said. 

The victim told police that she told Heemaneth to stop several times but he always continued without her consent, the affidavit said. The victim said that he would always state that he would kill himself if she told anyone about the assaults.

The other victim told police that Heemaneth repeatedly touched her genitalia while she was sleeping, the affidavit said. The victim said she would wake up and would see him touching his own genitalia as well. This allegedly occurred when the victim was in the seventh and eighth grade.

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On Thursday, Heemaneth went to the police station for an interview, where he admitted he began touching the first victim in 2013 when she was 6, along with other sexual contact, the affidavit said.  

Heemaneth confirmed to police that he would also threaten the victim by stating he would harm himself if she ever told anyone of the assault, the affidavit said.

During that interview, he also confirmed that he sexually assaulted the second victim about four times from 2019 to 2020, the affidavit said.