web1_HannahCoffin.jpg

College Corner: Hannah Coffin comes up big when it counts in 3,000 meter steeplechase

web1_kirby.jpg

DeGraw and Grammer coming to Kirby Center Oct. 6

<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; A Freeland man pleaded guilty Tuesday in Luzerne County Court to charges he grabbed a 12-year-old by the throat and threw him into a wall in between forced sets of physical punishment.</p><p>Police say Robert Avilez Jr., 28, of Adams Street, assaulted his girlfriend&#8217;s son, Jeremy Barron, last year after the child stole $20. As punishment, Avilez allegedly made the child prop himself against a wall in a seated position for up to an hour until the boy&#8217;s legs gave out. When Barron could no longer stand up, Avilez forced the child to do push-ups, police say.</p><p>Avilez, according to police, allegedly grabbed Barron and threw him against a wall when the exercises weren&#8217;t done properly, including one instance where he gripped the boy around his neck.</p><p>According to the affidavit, Barron was initially reported missing by his mother, Julie Barron, but the boy later told police he didn&#8217;t come home right away because he was afraid of being punished. He further stated that after the punishments were over, his mother made him and his 10-year-old sister deliver newspapers with her in Carbon County until 4:30 a.m., police say.</p><p>Julie Barron allegedly told police the children were &#8220;old enough&#8221; to help her on the route and that her son&#8217;s punishments were because &#8220;he doesn&#8217;t listen.&#8221;</p><p>Jeremy Barron told police he was often forced to watch his sisters and was punished when he didn&#8217;t clean up after them. He said Avilez threw him to the ground on one occasion and told him to pick up a mess one of the other children left on the floor, according to police.</p><p>Police say the boy was seen by a doctor at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Hazleton and was released to his father.</p><p>Avilez, police say, avoided calls and visits from police but was found hiding in a closet during a visit by Luzerne County Children and Youth Services. He eventually met with police and told them he had the boy carry out the punishments because that was how he had been disciplined.</p><p>Avilez pleaded guilty to a single count of felony aggravated assault and was prohibited from contact with minors. He is scheduled for sentencing June 3.</p><style>
.neFileBlock {
	margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
	margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
	border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
	padding-bottom: 5px;
	padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
	font-size: 85%;
}
</style>
<div class='neFileBlock'>
<div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_gavel-3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption"></div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_gavel-3.jpg</photo0><caption0></caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Joe Dolinsky</p><p>jdolinsky@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Freeland man admits to assaulting 12-year-old