Alleged leader in Centre County child sex abuse case to face charges of rape, sexual assault
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- Centre County prosecutors seek rape and sexual assault charges against Samuel Friday.
- Investigators allege Friday led trafficking and production of child abuse images.
- Three co-defendants remain jailed; preliminary hearings scheduled, tips requested.
Centre County prosecutors said Monday they are seeking to file additional charges against a man in connection with an ongoing child sexual abuse and human trafficking investigation.
Samuel C. Friday, 67, of Taylor Township, would be facing new felony charges of rape, sexual assault and statutory sexual assault if OK’d by a district judge. He was arrested last month on charges related to human trafficking and child sexual abuse material.
“As with the existing charges, these are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in court,” Centre County First Assistant District Attorney Joshua Andrews told the Centre Daily Times. “The investigation remains open, and we will continue to listen to and support anyone who makes the choice to come forward.”
State police at Rockview said in an affidavit of probable cause that an underage teenager accused Friday of raping her while she was pregnant. The alleged attack was not recorded, but a trooper said he reviewed a photo that corroborated her allegation.
She told police Friday habitually asked her for sex or sexual favors when she was as young as 14 years old. Friday’s defense lawyer has declined comment.
A trooper said she also alleged she was raped in Friday’s home by one of three other men — Michael H. Woomer, 66 of Taylor Township, Morris W. Reese, 64, of Blair County, and James S. Kobuck, 61, of Blair County — arrested in connection with the probe. That allegation, police wrote, was corroborated by photos and videos.
The alleged crimes spanned July 2023 to April 2024, police wrote.
Investigators have spent a month combing through thousands of images depicting child sexual abuse and interviewing accusers to discover a complete picture of what happened in Friday’s basement.
Prosecutors have cast him as the leader behind the solicitation and production of the images. Police said they received multiple tips in November that alleged he paid underage teens for sex.
Sexually explicit videos and photographs found in the home showed all four men were involved, police wrote in an earlier affidavit. Andrews said Friday’s basement was fitted with a bed, provocative outfits, a wall-mounted camera and sex toys.
During an interview after his arrest, police said Friday admitted to taking nude photographs of an underage teen and that he had some “sexual involvement” with her. No statements from the other three men have appeared in complaints against them.
Andrews previously said investigators believe the men have brought underage teens to Friday’s basement for sexual conduct since the 1990s. Most of the girls are thought to be from neighboring Blair County. Friday’s home in Taylor Township is near the county line.
Friday, Woomer and Reese are denied bail and incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility. Each were arrested last month on charges related to human trafficking and child sexual abuse material.
It was the first time human trafficking charges were brought during Centre County District Attorney Bernie Cantorna’s eight years in office.
Kobuck’s bail was set at $50,000 and he is also incarcerated at the county jail. Preliminary hearings for Friday, Woomer and Kobuck are scheduled for Wednesday. Reese’s is scheduled for Jan. 7.
Investigators have asked the public for assistance in the investigation. Those with information were asked to contact either trooper Jonathan Hodges at 814-355-7545 or county detective John Aston at 814-355-6735.