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First Posted: 7/7/2014
A Plymouth man pleaded guilty in Luzerne County Court on Monday to corruption of minors charges following allegations that he tried to lure a young girl into his truck last summer.
Elias Kocher, 43, admitted guilt the day he was facing trial in the case.
According to Larksville police, Kocher approached a pre-teen girl on Carver Street and told her to get into his pickup truck. When she started running away, Kocher followed the girl, according to what she told police. The child then ran home and told family members what happened.
Police said they found Kocher at home later, with a strong smell of alcohol on his breath.
Kocher initially told police he had been home all day, according to an affidavit, but then admitted, “Well, I did ask a little girl if she knew a guy named Little,” in apparent reference to a friend the child said he was asking about.
Under his plea, Kocher will face a maximum sentence of four years’ probation or parole, and is to have no contact with the girl or her family.
Sentencing is set for Aug. 28, and Kocher remains free on $100,000 bail, backed by real estate, until that time.