TREMONT - A 27-year-old borough man charged with sexually assaulting a 4-year-old boy last year waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday.
A handcuffed Christopher Bove, 37 W. Main St., Apt. 7, was escorted into the office of Magisterial District Judge Carol A. Pankake where he chose not to have a hearing but instead answer the charges against him in Schuylkill County Court.
Tremont police Chief Michael Conway charged Bove with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault and aggravated indecent assault of a child, all felony offenses; as well as misdemeanor charges of simple assault, endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of a minor.
The charges stem from an incident on Feb. 14, 2012, and an ongoing investigation that began the same day when the boy told a relative he was afraid of Bove.
After signing the necessary paperwork, Bove was returned to Schuylkill County Prison where is being held in lieu of $35,000 straight cash bail set by Pankake at the time of his arrest and preliminary arraignment on Feb. 22.
In papers filed with the court, Conway said the boy told his family that Bove assaulted him with an object. The child was taken to a Pottsville area hospital where a physician said he needed a detailed pediatric evaluation for sexual assault.
Schuylkill County Children and Youth authorities were then contacted and the child taken to Children's Resource Center, Harrisburg, where he was evaluated by a Child Interview Specialist.
On March 14, Conway said Bove was read his Miranda Rights, interviewed and admitted spanking the child.
On March 21, Conway said Bove was again interviewed, this time by state police Cpl. James Biever of the Jonestown station, and at first denied doing anything sexual to the child and told investigators that he himself was raped while in Luzerne County Prison and that he believes he did not sexually assault the child.
Bove went onto to say that his comments do not mean he did commit an assault or had to commit an assault on the boy, but added that he had thought of "doing things with kids," Conway said.
As the interview progressed, Conway said Bove admitted getting angry at the child and slapping his backside with a belt because he kept asking for lunch and slapping his backside with a belt.
He subsequently admitted to sexually assaulting the child with the handle of a fishnet and his finger.
Bove said he "can't live with it anymore" and that he needs help, Conway said.