Borough Man Accused of Rape Waives Preliminary Hearing

By Jack Tobias

An 18-year-old Hellertown man who told police he was acting out a "rape fantasy" in an alleged sex assault of a 14-year-old girl waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday.

Christopher Aryn Schuch of 1365 Second Ave. was arrested Oct. 18 for the alleged Oct. 7 incident near the Bethlehem-Hellertown line. The girl did not report the attack to Bethlehem police until Oct. 13, according to an earlier Patch report.

Schuch waived the following charges before District Judge Patricia Romig-Passaro: involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory sexual assault, indecent assault and corruption of minors.

His formal arraignment in Northampton County Court was scheduled for Feb. 6.

The case is being handled by assistant district attorney Patricia Broscius, who handles most sex-related cases in the DA's office. Schuch was returned to county prison under $100,000 bail, online court records say.

Schuch and the girl had told police they met through Whisper, a new social media application that encourages users to post and share feelings anonymously. Other users can respond publicly or privately.

They agreed to meet in the girl's Bethlehem home. An arrest affidavit said the girl told Schuch she is 14. Schuch allegedly told police he was “okay” with the girl being 14 and that he knew it was wrong to be with her.

The affidavit also says:

—Schuch took a LANTA bus to the girl’s house, and the girl agreed to take a LANTA bus back to Schuch’s home in Hellertown.

—Schuch took the girl to a wooded area behind the Wendy’s at 1160 Hellertown Road, Bethlehem, took a towel out of his book bag and laid it on the ground. He bit her on the lip, pinned her to the ground and held a hand over her mouth while he had sex with her.