Indecent assault charges against local businessman Edward E. Wright were bound to McKean County Court at a preliminary hearing on Friday.
Court records indicate that the hearing was held before District Judge Dominic Cercone.
Wright, 68, of 88 Pear St., is charged with two counts of corruption of minors, a third-degree felony and a first-degree misdemeanor; and three counts each of indecent assault-without consent of other and indecent assault of a person less than 16 years of age, all second-degree misdemeanors.
According to court records, a juvenile female reported to Bradford City Police that during November and December 2018 at Wright’s Music Shed — a business owned by Wright on Main Street of Bradford — Wright touched her inappropriately on several occasions while making remarks of a sexual nature, and made comments meant to prevent her from reporting the contact.
He told the child that he is “a sex addict” and that he could be harmed if she told anyone, the criminal complaint stated.
The criminal complaint noted that Wright has past convictions for similar conduct in which the victims were students at Bradford Area High School.
Wright is free, having posted $75,000 bail. He is represented by Bradford attorney Greg Henry.
Beginning in 1979 and until the mid-1980s, Wright was employed as the Bradford Area High School Marching Owls band director. Court records at the time alleged that between February 1981 and February 1986, Wright sexually assaulted several female band members.
In November 1986, Wright was sentenced to a period of probation after pleading guilty to three counts of corruption of minors, four counts of indecent assault and three counts of indecent exposure, all of which involved four former band students.
