Forks Man, 84, Faces Trial in Easton Sex Case

A Forks Township man is facing trial for allegedly molesting an Easton boy in 2007.

, 84, of 1006 Sullivan Trail was charged in April with two counts each of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and statutory rape, four counts of indecent assault and one count of endangering the welfare of a child.

The child in question was a boy who was in Tone's care. In a hearing before Monday, that boy testified that Tone molested him in Tone's basement and bedroom on College Hill while he was staying there before and after CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) classes.

The boy said Tone wouldn't talk about what they were doing, except for one time.

"I remember once he said not to tell anybody because he could get in trouble," the boy, now 13, testified. It happened "more than twice," but he couldn't put an exact number on how many times Tone touched him.

He spoke in a low voice, and had to be asked several times by both Assistant District Attorney Patricia Broscius and defense attorney Gary Asteak to speak up.

During cross examination, the boy said he first told his mother about what happened between him and Tone after his mother had asked if Tone had ever touched him. The boy said his mother was prompted by a phone call, but he didn't know who had made the call.

"Did anyone tell you what to say?" Broscius asked on re-direct.

"No," he said, nor did anyone suggest anything.

The boy testified that he hadn't thought about the molestation until his mother asked.

"I had it completely erased out of my mind," he said.