CLEARFIELD – The case against a Philipsburg man charged with rape was discussed during Clearfield County’s motions court.
Kevin Karl Kephart, 50, 118 Florance St., Philipsburg, is also charged with involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, terroristic threats, simple assault, indecent assault and harassment. Kephart remains in custody in lieu of $100,000 bail.
The charges stem from an incident in Chester Hill Borough on Sept. 8 when Kephart allegedly attacked a woman in their home.
Kephart’s attorney, Douglas Campbell, filed a motion to reduce his bail. During the discussion, the victim addressed the court, saying that there “was no rape.”
She explained she has lost everything since Kephart has been in jail and she needs his income to keep her home. She told Judge Paul E. Cherry that she “begged them,” meaning the district attorneys, to drop the charges.
Cherry placed her under oath and cautioned her that anything she said could be used against her.
First Assistant District Attorney Beau Grove asked her if Kephart forced her to perform oral sex on him. The victim replied that she didn’t remember.
Grove reminded her that she had testified to this at the preliminary hearing. She stated that they made her testify, claiming that she was taken into a room and threatened by someone from the DA’s office.
Grove said if the victim is changing her story she could face charges.
“Someone spent time in jail based on what she said,” Grove noted, adding that this case involved time and money spent in the investigation.
Cherry ruled to lower Kephart’s bail to $50,000, secured.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Kephart had been consuming alcohol when he became verbally abusive to the victim. He demanded she pay a fine that he had received for assaulting her one week earlier.
Because he was drinking and being abusive, the victim was going to sleep on the couch. Kephart grabbed her, pulled her nightgown off and made her walk around naked. He then pushed her onto the couch and began to choke her with his hands.
He next dragged her by her hair into the bedroom. He threw her onto the bed and began to choke her again using a pair of socks tied together. While she was held her down on the bed, he forced her to perform oral sex on him, she told police. During the assault, Kephart threatened to kill her.
She was able to get away from him long enough to call 9-1-1. When officers arrived on the scene they broke the door down and took Kephart into custody. These officers were able to observe injuries on the victim.
