SUGARCREEK BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) — A man accused of sexually assaulting another resident at an assisted living facility in Franklin has waived his preliminary hearing.

According to court documents, the following charges against 38-year-old Antuane Duwayne Cornelius, of Franklin, were waived for court on Wednesday, June 12:

– Indecent Assault-W/O Consent Of Other, Misdemeanor 2
– Harassment — Subject Other to Physical Contact, Summary

The charges have been transferred to the Venango County Court of Common Pleas.

Cornelius is currently free on $10,000.00 unsecured bail.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred during the evening of Thursday, May 16, at an assisted living facility in Franklin.

According to a criminal complaint, around 11:00 p.m. on May 17, Officer Highfield, of the Sugarcreek Borough Police Department, received a call from Venango County 9-1-1 regarding a sexual assault that occurred at an assisted living facility located on Sugar Valley Lane in Franklin.

Venango County 9-1-1 indicated that a female stated she was sexually assaulted by Antuane Cornelius.

Both the accused and the victim are residents of the assisted living facility.

Officer Highfield and Patrolman Johnson, of the Sugarcreek Borough Police Department, met with the victim in the office area of the assisted living facility.

During the interview, the victim reported that around 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 16, she was in her room with her door unlocked because she was expecting a friend to come over. She was on her bed waiting for her friend and fell asleep.

The victim reported that at some point, Antuane Cornelius had entered her room and had lain down on the bed beside her. She was awakened when Cornelius began to kiss her. She said that Cornelius asked “her if she liked him, and she said ‘no’ because he is too old for her,” the complaint states.

The victim said that Cornelius placed his hand down the front of her pants and touched her inappropriately. She said that she told him to stop, and he removed his hand and attempted to pull down her pants. She then yelled at him and told him to stop. Cornelius then got up and left the room, according to the complaint.

Patrolman Johnson briefly interviewed the employees at the assisted living facility. The employees stated that they knew the victim was upset because she wouldn’t answer her door when they went to check on her, according to the complaint.

Contact was made with Cornelius at 2:20 a.m., and he was taken into custody and transported to Sugarcreek Borough Police Department. At the station, Cornelius was read his Miranda warnings at 2:49 a.m. He waived his rights and agreed to speak with the officers.

According to the complaint, Cornelius admitted to being in the victim’s room on Thursday, May 16. He did not answer any further question and then filled out a voluntary written statement regarding this incident.

He is on probation and was placed in the Venango County Jail on a probationary detainer.

Based on the investigation, Cornelius was arraigned at 2:15 p.m. on May 19 in Magisterial District Judge Matthew T. Kirtland’s office.

Unable to post $10,000.00 bail, Cornelius was lodged in the Venango County Jail. He was released on Wednesday, June 12, after his bail type was changed to unsecured based on an agreement between the Judge, the Commonwealth, and the Defense Counsel, according to court documents.