A homeless Schuylkill County man is facing felony rape and related charges after police say he sexually assaulted a 45-year-old woman while she was unconscious inside a Pottsville apartment Tuesday.
Police in Pottsville have charged Timothy Hannah Jr., 33, of Pottsville, with rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hannah was arraigned Wednesday morning on those charges before Magisterial District Judge Edward Tarantelli and is being held at Schuylkill County Prison on $250,000 bail.
Police say they were initially called to a local hospital for a report of a sexual assault. The victim told police she woke up in a bedroom in the 700 block of W. Market St. to find her clothing partially removed and realized she had been sexually assaulted, though she did not remember what happened. A medical examination and testing were conducted at the hospital.
According to police, a tenant at the apartment reported that a man randomly walked into the residence between 2-2:30 p.m., asked for the victim, entered her bedroom, and closed the door.
A roommate reportedly told police he returned home between 3:30-4 p.m. and found the bedroom door locked. The roommate used a key to open the door, observed the two in the room, and left. When the roommate returned 10 to 15 minutes later, he reported seeing the man attempting to put the victim’s clothing back on while she appeared unconscious or sleeping.
Police say the man emerged from the room a short time later and left through a rear door. The tenant and two roommates made several attempts to wake the woman before she was able to discover what had occurred, police say.
Witnesses described the suspect to police as a black man with dreadlocks and a black goatee who went by the nickname “DC.” Witnesses also noted he walked with a distinctive shuffle and had a strong odor of cat urine.
Police say they later responded to 101 Mahantongo St. for a report of a man attempting to gain entry to an apartment building. Police say the man, identified as Hannah, matched the physical description and confirmed he went by “DC.”
Hannah was transported to City Hall, where police say he was read his rights and agreed to answer questions. After initially denying knowledge of the incident, Hannah told police he had intercourse with the victim, stating she “seemed out of it.” He also told police he put her clothing back on because she was asleep and he wanted to cover her up, acknowledging that a roommate had opened the door during that time.
Following his arrest, police searched Hannah and reported finding plastic hidden in his underwear containing a glass smoking pipe and two bags of a crystal substance. Police say the substance weighed approximately 0.76 grams and field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
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