TAMAQUA - A preliminary hearing for a 79-year-old Barnesville man charged by Rush Township police with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy over a seven-month period has been continued.
Gene S. Lutz, 36 Hilltop Road, was scheduled to appear before Magisterial District Judge Stephen J. Bayer, Tamaqua, on Wednesday, but the proceeding was continued and no new date was scheduled.
Lutz is charged with eight felony counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 16 years old and corruption of minors along with two misdemeanor counts each of indecent exposure and indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old.
He was jailed after his arrest April 11 but has since posted the $50,000 straight cash bail set at the time of his arraignment by Magisterial District Judge James R. Ferrier, Orwigsburg, police Sgt. Duane Frederick said.
Patrolman Cory Herring charged Lutz with incidents at his home between September and March.
Herring said that last week the boy reported the sexual assaults that he said occurred "several times" and that Lutz would occasionally dress in women's clothing during the assaults.
Hours later, Lutz was interviewed, confronted with the allegations and confessed to the crimes, according to police.
Lutz said he met the boy in June 2011 through a local train club and invited him to his home to see his train collection and use his computer. He also said he took the boy camping and on an overnight trip to a flea market, Herring said.
In additional to the sexual contact, Herring also said Lutz admitted showing the teen pornographic videos of himself and another person on different occasions.
No further information about the other person in the videos has been made available.