Published: November 14, 2009 11:23 pm      

Carrolltown man facing trial in assault on girl

EBENSBURG — A Carrolltown man has been ordered to stand trial in Cambria County Court on charges that he sexually abused a young girl for about two years.

Kenneth Robert Shank, 44, of the

200 block of North Main Street, is charged with rape of a child, child endangerment, indecent assault, two counts of aggravated indecent assault and four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.

District Judge Fred Creany forwarded all of the charges against Shank to county court after a preliminary hearing Thursday.

Assistant District Attorney Tamara Bernstein said that the girl, now 12, first disclosed the alleged abuse to a cousin and then to the Carrolltown police about a week later in August.

The girl and Officer Craig Holtz, who filed the charges, testified at the hearing.

The girl, who cried throughout the hearing, said that she had been abused multiple times, Bernstein said.

Shank, who is represented by Altoona attorney Terry Despoy, was initially placed in the county prison in lieu of $50,000 bond after his arrest in September.

He was released about a week later after his bond was lowered to $10,000 by the magistrate.

The case likely would not go to trial until March, Bernstein said.