John Smith Sr., 54, appeared before district judge Andrew Fish for the preliminary hearing in Venango County Central Court.
Online court documents indicate all 19 counts of corruption of minors will be bound over for further proceedings in the Court of Common Pleas.
The charges were filed by Oil City police two weeks ago after the 17-year-old girl’s parents discovered inappropriate messages on her Facebook account.
After reviewing the messages, police determined it was clear there was an ongoing romantic relationship between the girl and Smith, according to a press release issued by police.
Smith and the girl were interviewed by police, and it was learned that they had been physically involved at lower levels since the beginning of September.
Their relationship culminated over the weekend of Sept. 23-25, when the girl told her parents she would be going for a sleepover with a girl of similar age at Smith’s house, police said.
Statements provided by the girl and Smith were that once others were asleep in the home, or in another room, they would repeatedly engage in consensual sexual contact throughout the weekend, police said.
Smith remains in the Venango County jail on $15,000 bail.
