Smiley
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WILKES-BARRE — A Luzerne County jury trial for two men accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl who was abducted in October 2021, was delayed once again, this time due to a pending sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Scranton.
Luzerne County Judge Joseph F. Sklarosky Jr. had no choice Monday but postponed proceedings involving William Smiley, 52, of Plains Township, and John Vincent Watson, 48, formerly of Luzerne Borough.
A federal jury on Nov. 30 convicted Watson of producing child sexual abuse materials following a trail before U.S. District Court Judge Robert D. Mariani. Watson was convicted of recording four videos and one still image of himself having sexual intercourse with the teenage girl between Oct. 23 and Oct. 24, 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Scranton.
A sentencing hearing in federal court for Watson, who could face up to 30 years in federal prison, was postponed due to a recently appointed defense lawyer.
In Luzerne County Court, Watson and Smiley are charged with sexually assaulting the same girl inside an apartment on Main Street, Luzerne Borough. Watson is further charged with false imprisonment.
According to court records, the girl told investigators she was forced into Watson’s vehicle in the area of Union Street, Luzerne Borough, and taken to the apartment where Smiley and Watson took turns sexually assaulting her.
Smiley, who is represented by Attorney John Pike, denied he sexually assaulted the girl.
Watson left with the girl forcing her back into his vehicle, and sexually assaulted her over the course of several days until the girl called for help from the Red Roof Inn, Plains Township, on Oct. 25, 2021, court records say.
Sklarosky scheduled a status conference on June 6 to receive an update on the cases.
In a related issue, Watson’s attorney, Max C. Lubin, is seeking to prohibit Watson’s alleged statements to authorities, claiming Watson was not read his Miranda rights when briefly detained by Kingston police during a traffic stop on Wyoming Avenue on Oct. 25, 2021.
A suppression hearing on Lubin’s motion is tentatively scheduled on May 28.
Smiley remains free on $250,000 bail while Watson remains in federal custody without bail.
District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce and First Assistant District Attorney Anthony Ross are prosecuting.