A Butler County Sheriff’s deputy was charged Tuesday, March 18, with nine counts of indecent assault following an invitation to try chicken noodle soup at a Butler home.

Mark H. Kowaleski, 53, of Natrona Heights, allegedly showed five people at the home a sexually explicit photo, made sexual jokes and inappropriately touched them, both at the home and later on the drive to a local bar, according to the interviews with the individuals contained in charging documents.

Kowaleski admitted to going to the house, drinking with the group and driving the group to the bar, but denied the allegations of touching anyone inappropriately, according to the complaint. He said he gestured once as if he were about to slap one person’s buttocks, but said he never would, the complaint shows.

The complaint does not address his reaction to the accusation that he showed the group an explicit photo.

He was charged with nine misdemeanor counts of indecent assault and one misdemeanor count of defiant trespass related to incidents that occurred late Feb. 26 into Feb. 27.

Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe confirmed Kowaleski is on administrative leave, effective since Feb. 28.

“It’s an ongoing personnel matter, and I cannot comment at this time,” Slupe said.

Kowaleski was in uniform when he initially interacted with one woman at her place of employment, but surveillance video at the woman’s place of employment and later at a bar indicates Kowaleski was off duty and not in uniform, according to the affidavit.

State police said Kowaleski met one of the individuals at her workplace while she was on break. Kowaleski was in uniform eating with another uniformed officer.

According to police, the woman said she and Kowaleski were making conversation about the food, and the woman joked with Kowaleski about coming to her house to eat soup and gave him a fake address. The next morning, the woman saw Kowaleski at her workplace again and joked about Kowaleski coming over to eat.

Police said the woman received a phone call from her workplace Feb. 26 explaining Kowaleski visited again and left his contact information for her. The woman then contacted Kowaleski and gave him her actual address. Police said Kowaleski arrived at the her house in Butler his personal vehicle shortly after.

Police said Kowaleski and the woman and a friend conversed briefly before one invited Kowaleski into the home to socialize with their friends. The person told police they witnessed cases of alcohol in Kowaleski’s vehicle.

According to police, interviews with Kowaleski and the individuals indicated the group consumed alcohol and played card games.

Interviews with the individuals also indicated Kowaleski began making sexual jokes and touching one of them on the thigh before showing them a photo of his ex-girlfriend’s breasts.

According to police, the individuals said Kowaleski’s behavior progressed to smacking one on the buttocks and grabbing the buttocks of another.

Growing increasingly uncomfortable by Kowaleski’s behavior, members of the group told police they left the residence for a more public location. Police said they got into Kowaleski’s vehicle with him and he drove to two closed bars before finding an open bar.

Police said the individuals reported that during the drive, Kowaleski grabbed the breast of one person in the group multiple times and rubbed the legs of two others and touched the buttocks of another while in the car.

Police said at the bar, one recalled informing staff of Kowaleski’s behavior and requested staff not allow him in the bar. Police said the people fabricated a story to Kowaleski that the bartenders would not allow anyone else inside. Police said Kowaleski then left the area, and the people called a friend for a ride.

Police said when the people returned to the residence, the front and sun room doors were open despite having been closed before they left. One then called 911, and they said they were afraid Kowaleski was angry, and had returned to the residence, police said.

Police interviewed Kowaleski on Feb. 27 who denied touching any of them inappropriately. He said one of them gave him permission to return to the residence to retrieve his alcohol.

Kowaleski’s preliminary hearing has not yet been scheduled.