Man convicted of indecent contact with a child loses bail
NORRISTOWN >> A Skippack Township man awaiting sentencing for having indecent contact with a 6-year-old girl saw his bail revoked after he was accused of violating his bail conditions by allegedly driving drunk and crashing his vehicle in Lower Salford.
Montgomery County Judge Steven T. O’Neill revoked bail for Sean M. Caines, 32, of the 4100 block of Rittenhouse Lane, and Caines was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies who escorted Caines to the county jail to await sentencing on the indecent
assault charges of which a jury convicted him on April 7. Caines previously had been free on $10,000 bail.
In court papers and during a court hearing, county Assistant District Attorney Matthew Scott Brittenburg alleged Caines “failed to comply with the conditions of his bail” and that his bail should be revoked or increased.
“This is serious behavior and it’s behavior that endangers the public. This is a person from whom we cannot keep the public safe. His behavior has demonstrated he can’t follow the conditions of bail,” Brittenburg said on Monday.
Referring to information supplied by Lower Salford Police Officer Kathleen Byrne, Brittenburg said police cited Caines for driving under the influence of alcohol after a one-vehicle crash that occurred between April 26 and April 27 during which Caines “crashed into a telephone pole and several mailboxes” in Lower Salford. The crash occurred just 20 days after Caines was convicted of the indecent assault charges.
When police interacted with Caines they detected an odor of alcohol on his breath and Caines exhibited signs of impairment during field sobriety testing, Brittenburg alleged. Caines refused to submit to blood-alcohol testing and he was charged with alleged DUI, authorities said.
Caines allegedly discussed with police the fact he was free on bail on another case but he refused to reveal the nature of the charges of which he was convicted, prosecutors claimed. Caines also allegedly stated a witness in the case “was a liar,” according to court documents.
On April 7, a jury convicted Caines of charges of indecent assault of a child, endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of a minor in connection with one incident that occurred at a Skippack residence in December 2015 while the girl was in Caines’ company.
At that time, O’Neill, who presided over the three-day trial, permitted Caines to remain free on bail pending sentencing and a presentence investigation.
Caines faces a possible maximum sentence of 10½ to 21 years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.
Caines, who was represented by defense lawyer Peter Thomas, denied the allegations when he testified in his own defense. Caines suggested the girl was not telling the truth.
An investigation began after the child’s mother reported to state police at Skippack that she learned Caines had indecent contact with the girl while the girl was in the company of Caines at a Skippack residence on Dec. 15, 2015. A witness observed the incident, according to court papers and testimony.
The girl subsequently described the inappropriate contact to her mother, to police and to counselors at Mission Kids, Montgomery County’s child advocacy facility where medical professionals, social workers, police officers and attorneys come together to streamline the investigative process and provide victims with the necessary support services to help them heal.
The girl testified during the trial about the indecent contact, which involved inappropriate touching.
The jury also viewed a videotape of the girl’s Mission Kids interview.