Pittston man found not guilty of molesting woman

Mar. 15—WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County jury deliberated for less than an hour Wednesday before finding a Pittston man not guilty of groping an intoxicated woman.

Charles F. Brown, 66, of Oak Street, was charged by Pittston police with grabbing a woman's chest and squeezing her wrist inside his vehicle on June 16, 2022, according to court records.

A bystander called police when he allegedly saw Brown and the woman fighting inside a vehicle parked at the Turkey Hill store on South Main Street.

The woman told police she was at Stephanie's Bar, South Main Street, where she is a regular and had too much to drink. Brown was also inside the bar and offered to give the woman a ride home, court records say.

During the ride, she claimed Brown grabbed her chest and wrist as she fought back, according to court records.

She told police she only knew Brown from the bar.

Brown's trial began late Tuesday afternoon before Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr.

Closing arguments were held Wednesday morning.

The jury deliberated for 49 minutes finding Brown not guilty on two counts of indecent assault and one count of terroristic threats. He was also found not guilty on a summary count of harassment.

Attorney James J. Scanlon represented Brown.

___

(c)2023 The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)

Visit The Times Leader (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) at www.timesleader.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.