Chester man held for trial on molestation charges
CHESTER » A 66-year-old city man arrested in January for allegedly sexually abusing a 14-year-old boy and taking pictures of his genitals has been held over for trial on all charges.
Ivan Jackson-Freeman is charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years old, corruption of minors, unlawful contact with a minor, photographing a child sex act, child pornography, criminal use of a communication device and endangering the welfare of children.
The alleged victim told Assistant District Attorney Diane Horn during a preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Wilden H. Davis Monday that the abuse took place at Jackson-Freeman’s home in Chester on multiple occasions, though he gave conflicting accounts of exactly when.
The boy claimed that JacksonFreeman touched him on his penis using his hands and mouth on a couch and in a bedroom of his home. He initially said the alleged assaults took place during the summer of 2020, between June and September, but later told defense attorney
Kevin Coyne that they began just before Halloween of 2019 and continued through the early part of 2020.
Delaware County Detective Mark Bucci, a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, also testified that law enforcement executed a search warrant at Freeman-Jackson’s home after speaking with the alleged victim and seized multiple electronic devices.
A forensic review of those devices revealed two sexually explicit images of the alleged victim with his penis exposed, Bucci said. Freeman-Jackson had also set up a camera in his bathroom so he could secretly capture images of people using the facilities, according to the detective. Most of them were adults, said Bucci, though some appeared to be teenagers.
Coyne argued the charges should be dismissed because the listed offense dates for each were in the summer of 2020, but there was no direct testimony about that time period. Horn successfully argued that the date is not an element of any offense charged, however, and that the commonwealth had presented enough evidence at this early stage to move on to trial.
Jackson-Freeman was given a formal arraignment date of April 7. He remains free on 10% of $250,000 bail.
EAST NORRITON » A Delaware County man faces a trial on charges he effectuated the escape of another man who is accused of a fatal shooting at an East Norriton bowling alley.
Raymir D. Johnson, 19, of the 200 block of North Wyncombe Avenue, Lansdowne, waived his preliminary hearing before District Court Judge Mark Alfarano on charges of hindering apprehension or prosecution in connection with the alleged Feb. 20 incident at the Our Town Alley bowling lanes that claimed the life of Frank Wade.
Johnson will face a formal arraignment hearing on the charges in county court next month at which time a judge could set a trial date. Johnson’s bail was set at 10% of $175,000 cash, according to court records.
With the charges, Montgomery County prosecutors alleged Johnson drove 17-year-old Jamel Barnwell from the bowling alley after Barnwell allegedly fatally shot Frank Wade during an altercation inside the bowling alley.
A conviction of hindering apprehension or prosecution carries a possible maximum sentence of 3½ to 7 years in prison.
Meanwhile, Barnwell, of the 100 block of Beverly Avenue, East Lansdowne, is awaiting trial on charges of first- and third-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a minor, possession of a weapon and recklessly endangering other persons in connection with the fatal shooting. Barnwell was charged as an adult in connection with the alleged slaying.
The investigation began about 6:43 p.m. Feb. 20 when East Norriton police responded to the bowling alley, previously known as Facenda Whitaker Lanes, at 2912 Swede Road for a report of shots fired. Arriving officers found Wade,
29, of Philadelphia, dead inside the bowling alley, according to a criminal complaint filed by Montgomery County Detective Gregory Henry and East Norriton Detective Michael Henricks.
A subsequent autopsy determined Wade died as a result of multiple gunshot wounds and the manner of death was determined to be homicide.
Four others, all of Philadelphia and related to each other, suffered gunshot wounds and were treated at area hospitals.
During the investigation, detectives who processed the scene located 15 fired
.45-caliber cartridge casings, court documents indicate. Detectives also recovered five projectiles, one in ceiling tiles and four in the
floor area where Wade was fatally wounded.
A witness told detectives Wade and several family members were wrapping up their bowling when she heard a commotion near the front of the bowling alley. As Wade and the other four victims went to investigate the commotion, witnesses heard gunshots. A witness told detectives an armed male “fired his gun until it was empty” and then fled from the bowling alley, detectives alleged.
Detectives reviewed video surveillance from the bowling alley that depicted Barnwell, Johnson and another unidentified male enter the business about 6:39 p.m. A short time later, a physical altercation occurred with the victims and Barnwell allegedly pulled a handgun with an extended magazine from inside his jacket and fired multiple shots toward Wade and the other victims, according to the arrest affidavit.
One of the shots stuck Wade and caused him to fall to the ground. As Wade tried to crawl away to safety, Barnwell could be seen shooting him several more times until Wade eventually stopped crawling and collapsed, detectives alleged.
Authorities have not revealed a motive for the alleged shooting.
Barnwell, Johnson and the third male who allegedly had accompanied them, fled from the bowling alley in a vehicle operated by Johnson, authorities alleged. The men left behind three cell phones, one of which belonged to Barnwell and which helped authorities develop Barnwell as a suspect in the alleged slaying, according to court papers.
Barnwell surrendered to authorities a day after the shooting and remains in the county jail while awaiting trial.