BIG RUN, Pa. (EYT) – A 43-year-old Jefferson County man faces multiple felony charges including unlawful contact with a minor and aggravated indecent assault following a monthslong investigation by Punxsutawney-based State Police.
According to court documents, 43-year-old Michael Anthony Sest, formerly of Big Run, was arrested and remains in Jefferson County Jail on $100,000 bail.
He faces 89 criminal counts, including 44 first-degree felony charges of unlawful contact with a minor.
Sest, already an inmate in the jail, was initially arrested in December 2023 on separate sexual assault charges, for which jury selection is scheduled to begin January 1, with trial set for January 23 and January 24, according to court documents.
According to a criminal complaint filed by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Christopher C. Barr, the investigation began in March 2023 when authorities were alerted to a reported assault. DNA evidence collected during the investigation matched samples from Michael Sest, according to court documents.
Investigators say the alleged incidents occurred between 2019 and 2023 at residences in Big Run Borough and Punxsutawney Borough.
He was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge David B. Inzana on November 1, 2024.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for November 15.
The Pennsylvania State Police Punxsutawney Station and Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office conducted the investigation with assistance from Jefferson County Children and Youth Services.
EDITOR’S NOTE 1: Extreme graphic details were not included due to the sexual nature of the alleged crimes.
EDITOR’S NOTE 2: Several details were removed from this article to help protect the identity of the victim.