Greensburg Police Capture Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting 2 Juveniles
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GREENSBURG (KDKA) -- Greensburg Police have captured a sexual assault suspect from Philadelphia.
According to the City of Greensburg Police Department, Naim Ballard is accused of sexually assaulting two juveniles.
All it took was a Facebook tip for police to catch 19 year-old Naim Ballard.
Police say they tracked him down this morning at his girlfriend's apartment in the Westpoint area of Hempfield Township.
Police say the victims reported the assaults to a guidance counselor at their high school.
That's when police issued a warrant for Ballard's arrest.
Ballard wouldn't answer any questions when he headed into his preliminary arraignment Thursday afternoon.
Inside the courtroom, the judge arraigned Ballard on 10 charges. Among those charges were rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault.
Ballard is accused of sexually assaulting first a 15 year old girl then a 17 year old girl. The first assault police say took place at the end of March and the second assault at the beginning of April at a home on Russell Avenue in Greensburg. Both victims met Ballard there when they were hanging out with friends.
"Alcohol seemed to be a factor in this incident. Both young females became intoxicated and the male actor had taken advantage of that after they were intoxicated," said Captain Robert Stafford with Greensburg Police.
Police praise the two victims on reporting the alleged incidents to police.
"It was good they came forward even when the actor had threatened he was going to shoot them if they told anyone. They still felt confident enough to go and tell someone what happened," said Stafford.
Ballard is originally from Philadelphia but told the judge he'd been in the Greensburg area since November and was staying at the home on Russell Avenue with a friend after getting out of Adelphoi in Latrobe.
The judge issued Ballard $200,000 straight bond. She told Ballard in the courtroom that she was concerned about the safety of the community with his record. Ballard told the judge he was prosecuted at the age of 13 for sex crimes. He was also ordered no contact with the victims. Police said there was contact between Ballard and the victims Thursday morning.
He is facing multiple charges, including rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, corruption of minors and terroristic threats.
