Man charged with assault pleads guilty to lesser charge

August 22, 2002

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. - A Chambersburg man who had been accused of sexually assaulting a woman inside her Wilson College dorm room this summer pleaded guilty to one count of criminal trespass Wednesday.

Scott F. Fickes, 27, of 554 Lincoln Way East, Apt. 8, was charged on June 28 with one count each of sexual assault, indecent assault and burglary, according to court records.

He appeared in Franklin County Court for arraignment Wednesday. As part of the plea agreement, Fickes will not be prosecuted on the other charges and the Commonwealth will recommend a sentence of time-served, according to court officials.

Fickes is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 18.

The woman told Chambersburg Police she and another woman went with Fickes to a Chambersburg tavern June 23 and left together at 2:30 a.m., according to court records. One woman took Fickes back to her dorm room at Wilson College.

The woman told police she had been drinking and was tired and immediately got undressed and went to bed in her own room at the college.

She awoke a short time later to find a naked man on top of her, raping her, court records allege.

She began screaming and struck him with her fist, causing him to get off her, court records allege. He dressed and left the bedroom fully clothed through the front door, court records said.

The front doors of the dorm are locked and a second set of interior doors are also locked. The woman said she was sure she also locked her dorm room door before getting in bed. The window of an adjoining room showed visible signs of forced entry, according to court records.

Fickes has been jailed in Franklin County Prison since June 28.

The woman's name is being withheld to protect her identity.

|

|

|