BY STACI WILSON

A 20-year-old Greenfield Twp. man faces rape charges after his friendship with a 15-year-old girl turned sexual earlier this year in Forest City.

Along with two counts of rape lodged against him Keith Allen Smith also faces two felony counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; statutory sexual assault; aggravated indecent assault of a person under the age of 16; and corruption of minors. He was also charged with two misdemeanor indecent assault charges. Forest City Police Officer Lee Rowan filed the charges.

Smith was arraigned July 2 and was released on unsecured bail.

He waived his Tuesday, July 10 preliminary hearing. A formal arraignment was scheduled for July 31.

According to the affidavit, the victim and her parents reported to police on March 29 that the teen and Smith had been friends which then led to the sexual acts being committed in the Forest City Industrial Park and at an ice cream shop in Browndale.

The Susquehanna County Independent does not identify the victims of alleged sexual assault.

The teen told police that she was depressed when she met Smith and began texting and meeting him against her parents’ backs and wishes. She also told police that she would go to a friend’s house in order to meet with Smith.

According to the affidavit, Smith and the girl had sex on multiple occasions until the relationship ended in mid-April. The victim also told police that she felt threatened and intimidated of she didn’t do what Smith wanted her to do. She told police Smith had threatened to kill himself if she ended the relationship.

The teen also said Smith started to stalk her after she was interviewed by police and, according to the criminal complaint, a protection order was then obtained against Smith.

The victim was also interviewed and examined at the Children’sAdvocacyCenterinScranton.

Smith provided police with a written statement on April 16, in which he confirmed he had sex with the teen on two occasions and that the two would leave notes under a rock by the ice cream shop.

On the next day, Smith added to his statement, admitting that he and the teen, who had turned 16, had also had sex on April 12.