Resident of Cove Forge Charged With Sexual Assault

A resident of the Cove Forge Behavioral Health in Williamsburg is in jail facing charges of sexual assault after an incident involving a 19-year-old female resident on June 2.

Lamar M. Williams, 48, of Pittsburgh, is accused of pulling the female victim into some bushes on the Cove Forge grounds and sexually assaulting her.

According to charges filed by Hollidaysburg State Police, Williams and a relative of his, who is also a resident of the facility, approached the female victim at around 8 p.m. on June 2, after she was given her medication for the night, and asked if she wanted to have a cigarette with them.

The victim told police that as she was walking along the grounds to meet the two men, Williams grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into the bushes while the other man stayed out and seemed to be keeping watch for anyone coming.

The victim told police that Williams pulled down her pants and assaulted her with his hand. The victim told police that as she struggled to get away from Williams, he told her "it's OK, it's OK, just let it happen baby."

The victim was finally able to get away and back to the residence.

Police interviewed several people who said they saw an altercation occurring near the gymnasium and when they ran up to see what was going on, Williams and the victim came out from behind the bushes.

One male witness said he spoke to the victim and she told him she was attacked. The witness told police that Williams and the other man threatened to stab him for speaking about the incident.

The relative of Williams admitted to police that he was the lookout while Williams and the victim were in the bushes, and said he thought the encounter was consensual.

He told police he didn't see or hear anything wrong but that the victim "could have been scared."

Williams faces felony charges of rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault along with misdemeanor counts of indecent assault.

He was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Paula Aigner, Hollidaysburg, and committed to the Blair County Prison in lieu of $100,000 cash bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, June 18, in front of Aigner.