By SAXON DAUGHERTY
Staff Writer
A Greenville man is facing felony sexual assault charges after he allegedly had inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old girl.
Trooper Brian O’Toole of Franklin state police received a complaint from the girl’s mother Monday that her daughter had left the area with 23-year-old Steven Padenich, according to a criminal complaint filed through district judge Andrew Fish’s office.
Oil City police responded and the teenager said she and Padenich had arranged to meet in Oil City before he drove her to Erie, the complaint said.
Padenich then purchased a hotel room, where the two slept in separate beds, the complaint said.
After the incident was discovered, the girl was interviewed and told Oil City police that she and Padenich and taken baths and engaged in sexual acts while at the hotel, the complaint said.
The girl also told police she and Padenich were planning to stay a second night until her mother began to call to demand she return home, the complaint said.
Padenich has been charged with felony counts of statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors.
He was arraigned Tuesday before Fish and placed in the Venango County jail on $25,000 bail.
A preliminary hearing has been tentatively scheduled for April 26 in Central Court.
