East Washington council candidate to stand trial for sexual assault of juvenile
A candidate for East Washington Borough Council waived his right to a preliminary hearing on charges he sexually assaulted a juvenile, moving the case to the court of common pleas.
Anthony Joseph Dinch, 28, of East Washington, appeared before District Judge Michael Manfredi Wednesday afternoon.
Dinch is accused in court documents of carrying on a relationship with a teenage boy for several years. The alleged victim, now 15, reported multiple assaults to East Washington police in July.
He told officers that he had spent the night at Dinch’s East Wheeling Street apartment at least 25 times. The teen described Dinch supplying him with alcohol and walking around shirtless. Dinch allegedly assaulted him last November and again in May.
Dinch will appear on the Nov. 7 ballot for both a four-year and two-year term on borough council. He is unopposed in the latter race.
Sean Logue, chair of the Washington County Republican Party, said Dinch was formally removed as a precinct committee person for the party at an Oct. 17 meeting.
“He holds no position with us. We did that through the formal grievance process,” Logue said.
Dinch faces felony charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, endangering welfare of children and corruption of minors. He also faces misdemeanors of indecent assault and providing liquor to a minor.
He is scheduled to appear at the Washington County Courthouse for formal arraignment at 1 p.m. Nov. 30. Dinch is free on $250,000 unsecured bond.