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Wednesday, March 12, 2003 Page: 5A
The Associated Press
BENTON – A man who launched a statewide tax-reform drive last year has been
arrested on a charge of raping an underage girl, court papers say.
Gerald D. Parks Sr., 63, of Jackson Township began molesting the girl in
1993, when she was 8 and the abuse didn’t stop until 1999, a court filing
says.
Parks faces eight charges, including rape, statutory sexual assault and
aggravated indecent sexual assault. He was arraigned Friday. Bail was set at
$100,000. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 92 years in prison and
$180,000 in fines.
The court filing says Parks implicated himself in the crimes in a recorded
phone call last week.
Parks founded The Pennsylvania Tea Party, a group dedicated to abolishing
property taxes. Last year Parks presented about 26,000 petition signatures to
lawmakers in Harrisburg.
He’s being held in the Columbia County Prison.