All 4 men accused in Centre County child sex abuse case headed toward trial
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- District judge cleared path for prosecution of four men accused of child sex abuse.
- Accusers testified of repeated paid sex and described coercion or pressure.
- Investigators review 1.5TB of media evidence; probe remains ongoing.
A district judge’s ruling Wednesday cleared the way for prosecutors to move forward with their cases against all four men accused of sexually abusing teenage girls in the basement of a Centre County home.
Samuel C. Friday, 67, of Taylor Township, waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday. He’s facing two dozen felony charges, including counts related to human trafficking.
District Judge Casey McClain, meanwhile, ruled Centre County prosecutors presented enough evidence during a preliminary hearing for Morris W. Reese, 64, of Blair County, to move forward with all charges.
Two teenage girls testified Wednesday that Reese paid them for sexual acts multiple times. Hoping to make money doing farm work when she was 14 years old and homeless, one girl testified it escalated to paid sexual activities.
Now 18 years old, she said the alleged abuses occurred on an about weekly basis for several years. When asked by defense attorney Mark Zearfaus if she engaged in the acts willingly, she testified “I gave up.” She also testified she was unsure what would happen if she didn’t go along with the alleged crimes.
A 17-year-old later testified she was “peer pressured” into going to Friday’s home, where she said she was also paid for sexual acts about five times.
Friday and Reese — along with Michael H. Woomer, 66, of Taylor Township, and James S. Kobuck, 61, of Blair County — are also accused of recording the encounters in the basement that a prosecutor previously described as a “sex studio.”
Centre County First Assistant District Attorney Joshua Andrews has said the room was fitted with a bed, provocative outfits, a wall-mounted camera and sex toys.
A state police at Rockview investigation is ongoing. Trooper Jonathan Hodges testified Wednesday that investigators are combing through 1 1/2 terabytes of photo and video evidence, including VHS tapes. Andrews said that review is only about 20% complete.
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 appeared in complaints filed against them.
Investigators believe the men brought underage teens to Friday’s home for sexual conduct since the 1990s. Most of the girls are thought to be from neighboring Blair County.
Friday, Reese and Woomer are incarcerated at the Centre County Correctional Facility. Kobuck was released from jail in December after he posted $50,000 bail.
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.
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 2:15 PM.