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Police: Nursing home resident accused in assault
BY LARRY ALEXANDER, Staff Writer
A 65-year-old Akron man is in prison accused by police of sexually assaulting an 86-year-old woman at the nursing home where they lived.
Ephrata police said that Glenn A. Hershey has been charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and sexual assault.
The woman, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and dementia, and Hershey were residents of Maple Farm Nursing Center, 604 Oak St., Akron.
According to a police report, a nurse and a nurse assistant saw Hershey leave the woman's room around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.
Asked if she had a visitor to the room, the woman replied that she did not.
At 4:50 a.m., two of the home's nursing assistants entered the woman's room to administer care. The woman was found uncovered, nude from the waist down. As the workers began to dress her, the woman complained of pain in the abdomen and genital area, where redness was observed.
According to the complaint, nursing home staff were aware that Hershey was a registered sex offender under the state's Megan's Law.
According to newspaper records, in April 1993 Hershey contacted a Philadelphia escort service and said he would pay $1,000 to have a sexual fantasy fulfilled.
When the woman from the escort service arrived at his then-Columbia home and discovered he did not have the money, he sexually assaulted her, police said.
Hershey pleaded guilty to aggravated indecent assault and was sentenced to 1½ to 5 years in prison in September of that year.
Knowing Hershey's history, Maple Farm staff interviewed another female resident Sunday. She told them that Hershey had admitted to entering the 86-year-old woman's room and having sexual contact with her.
Maple Farm executive director Lora Gomboc phoned police and, following an investigation, Hershey was arrested at 7 p.m. Sunday.
He was taken to the borough police station for questioning, where, police say, he admitted to the assault.
Hershey is incarcerated at Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $200,000 bail.
Gomboc declined to talk to reporters about specifics of the case Tuesday, citing privacy laws.
She subsequently issued a statement, saying that "steps were taken immediately to ensure the well-being of the affected resident, as well as all of the residents of Maple Farm while the staff and police investigation continued."
In addition, she wrote, Hershey has been "issued a notice of discharge" and will not be allowed to return to the facility.
"While the privacy rights of those involved preclude us from issuing any details related to this ongoing investigation, we can say that, due to the watchfulness and prompt action on the part of the staff of Maple Farm, steps were taken immediately to protect the residents of the facility," the statement reads.
Ephrata police Lt. Thomas Shumaker declined comment on the case, citing the "ongoing investigation."
lalexander@lnpnews.com
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