The Herald, Sharon, Pa.

November 16, 2009

UPDATE: One man charged, another pleads guilty to sex with girls


SHENANGO VALLEY — A Sharon man faces sexual assault charges for incidents involving a 14-year-old girl this summer at his home, police said.

Douglas E. Wheaton Jr., 36, of 392 Meek St., Sharon, turned himself in on a warrant at 10:06 a.m. Monday.

Wheaton is charged with four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, 14 counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault, according to court documents. He was arraigned on the charges Monday morning and taken to Mercer County Jail after failing to post bond.

He is accused of having oral sex with a girl on two occasions between June 1 and Sept. 8, police said.

A man charged with having sex with a girl when she was 16 and 17 pleaded guilty last week to a charge of indecent exposure.

The charged against Nijya M. Justice, 33, of 1131 Hamilton Ave., Farrell, was added at his plea hearing, and the initial charge of corruption of minors was dropped.

The girl testified in March that she met Justice at a fast-food restaurant in Hermitage, and they had sex at work, in cars and in her home. She described the sex as consensual and said he knew that she was underage, she said.

The relationship was broken off in January after her parents found out about it, she said.

Justice has been free on bond.