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Woman fails to pay cab fare in Wilkes-Barre

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Long-time Northeastern Pennsylvania news anchor Nolan Johannes dies

<p>HANOVER TWP. &#8212; A man from Wilkes-Barre was arrested on allegations he sexually assaulted an autistic girl lost in South Wilkes-Barre over the weekend.</p><p>Wilkes-Barre police allege Pedro Ewing took a 14-year-old girl to a residence on New Alexander Street where he forced her to have sex and perform lewd sexual acts Saturday night into Sunday. The girl claimed Ewing placed a pipe to her mouth and made her smoke an illegal drug before the alleged sexual assault, according to charges filed.</p><p>Ewing was arraigned Tuesday by District Judge Joseph Halesey in Hanover Township on two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and one count each of statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors. He was jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility for lack of $150,000 bail.</p><p>Court records say Ewing was free on $30,000 unsecured bail on charges he used a handgun to rob the Wine and Spirits store in Wilkes-Barre Township Marketplace, Wilkes-Barre Township, on April 4. Ewing was also free on $5,000 unsecured bail on a retail theft charge when he allegedly failed to pay for $540 worth of merchandise at Walmart in Pittston Township on July 9 and $20,000 unsecured bail on charges he was driving a stolen vehicle and possessing two pipes used to smoke crack cocaine in Edwardsville on June 15.</p><p>According to the latest criminal complaint:</p><p>Police went to Commonwealth Health Wilkes-Barre General Hospital on Sunday following up on a report a 14-year-old autistic girl was in the emergency room claiming she had been sexually assaulted.</p><p>The girl told police Ewing, whom she did not know, approached her in the area of Carey Avenue and Academy Street, Wilkes-Barre. She was out for a walk and became lost when Ewing offered to help her find her residence, the complaint says.</p><p>As they walked on Carey Avenue, Ewing met a female friend near New Alexander Street, Wilkes-Barre. Ewing allegedly left the girl with the woman and later returned with an illegal drug.</p><p>Police allege in the complaint the girl claimed Ewing took her to a residence on New Alexander Street where Ewing put a pipe to her mouth and told her to inhale as he kept a lighter under the pipe, according to the complaint.</p><p>After smoking the illegal drug, the girl told police Ewing allegedly sexually assaulted her and forced her to perform lewd sexual acts.</p><p>They fell asleep on a bed the girl said had red and black sheets.</p><p>When they awoke Sunday morning, the girl said Ewing walked her to Turkey Hill at Carey Avenue and Division Street, Wilkes-Barre, where a family friend recognized her and later reunited her with her mother.</p><p>The mother took the girl to the hospital after her daughter told her she had been sexually assaulted.</p><p>Police said they seized red and black bed sheets from the New Alexander Street residence when a search warrant was served on Monday.</p><style>
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<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_Pedro-Ewing-WBT-Pd-robbery-4-4-15.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Ewing </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/web1_Pedro-Ewing-WBT-Pd-robbery-4-4-15.jpg</photo0><caption0>Ewing </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Ed Lewis</p><p>elewis@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Ed Lewis at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TLEdLewis</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Wilkes-Barre man charged with sexually assaulting autistic child