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Former teacher charged with indecent assault, corruption of minors

SAXONBURG — A retired Freeport High School teacher is accused of having indecent contact with several underage girls and buying them drugs and other gifts.

Joseph R. Peresie, 66, of Saxonburg is charged with aggravated indecent assault, possession of drug paraphernalia and corruption of minors and is being held without bail in Butler County Prison.

Initially, Peresie posted his $50,000 bail set by District Judge Sue Haggerty, but that bail was revoked after he contacted several girls as well as the primary victim's mother. He had been ordered to have no contact with the victim or other minors.

According to court documents, Peresie has had indecent contact with several juvenile girls since 2007, two of whom told state police that Peresie had provided them with cocaine. One of those girls said Peresie had also provided her with Percocet, Vicodin and alcohol, in addition to exposing her to animated pornographic movies. Another girl, now 18, provided a written statement telling police she had ingested cocaine with Peresie as recently as nine months ago, when she was still a minor, and that he had bought her a cell phone and clothing.

A third possible victim, 17, came forward on March 25. She said she had sexual contact with Peresie at least eight times, and that he had provided her with Percocet, Vicodin, cocaine and alcohol, all of which she had ingested with him at his Oakleaf Drive home.

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