EPHRATA, Pa. — A Lancaster County man accused of raping a 13-year-old girl earlier this year was ordered to stand trial in county court after a preliminary hearing last week, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Michael Christopher Pringle, 61, is charged with felony counts of rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, and a misdemeanor count of indecent assault, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
Pringle is a lifetime registered sex offender under Megan's Law due to two previous sexual assault convictions in 1999 and 2001, prosecutors said.
In the most recent case, Pringle's victim accused him of raping her at his home on the 2000 block of West Main Street in Clay Township on Oct. 6.
The assaults ended when a relative entered the room, but they didn't see anything due to darkness, the victim told authorities.
After the assault, Pringle allegedly made the victim promise him not to tell anyone. She testified at the hearing that she tried to remain quiet about the assault, but the incident came to light after the victim suffered a panic attack, according to prosecutors.
Before the Oct. 6 incident, Pringle allegedly touched the victim multiple times over the past two years, the victim testified.
Judge Torrey Landis allowed the case against Pringle to proceed to Lancaster County Court.
Pringle is incarcerated in Lancaster County Prison while he awaits trial. His bail was set at $250,000, according to prosecutors.
Assistant District Attorney Jessica Collo will prosecute the case. Northern Lancaster County Regional Police detectives filed the charges.
