James Halpin

Citizens Voice

(AP) A Monroe County man beat a woman in a city apartment and forced her to perform oral sex on him in front of three young children, according to police.

Deon Hosmond Blair, 24, of Henryville, is facing indecent assault charges after the woman reported being slapped and punched and then forced to perform the sex act.

According to a police affidavit, officers responded to 117 E. Green St. shortly before 11 p.m. Monday to a report of an assault. The caller reported that she had employed a ruse to get into the apartment and reach her friend, who she said was being held against her will and had been physically and sexually assaulted, police said.

Police arrived at the apartment to find the victim with swollen and bruised cheeks and a cut on the top of her head, according to the affidavit. Asked if she was OK, the woman said she needed help because Blair had been hurting her, police said.

Blair told police there was no problem and asked them to leave, police said. After he was told the officers were investigating a report of an assault, Blair began trying to speak with the woman and following her through the apartment, police said.

Officers ordered Blair to stop and provide identification, at which point they learned East Stroudsburg University police had an active warrant charging Blair with simple assault and harassment.

Police arrested Blair and spoke to the woman, who reported Blair had been slapping and punching her earlier in the evening, according to the affidavit. Blair then forced her to perform oral sex in a bedroom in front of the children, ages 2, 1 and 3 months, police said.

The woman was taken to Wilkes-Barre General Hospital for treatment.

Police charged Blair with two counts each of indecent assault and simple assault, and one count of harassment. Magisterial District Judge Rick Cronauer arraigned Blair on Tuesday morning and ordered him jailed at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility with bail set at $20,000.

A preliminary hearing was set for 10 a.m. Jan. 24.