Commonwealth secures guilty verdict of Manheim Township man for sexually abusing 6-year-old following jury trial
A Lancaster County jury convicted a Manheim Township man of repeatedly abusing a 6-year-old girl following a four-day trial last month.
The jury found George Cooke, 64, guilty on Sept. 19 of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age and corruption of minors.
Judge Merrill Spahn, who presided over the trial, is scheduled to sentence Cooke following the conclusion of a pre-sentence investigation.
Cooke repeatedly sexually abused the victim in the bedroom of his residence in the 1500 block of Orchard Street in Manheim Township between January and June 2022.
Following the trial Judge Spahn increased Cooke’s bail to $500,000. Cooke remains in Lancaster County Prison in lieu of that amount as he awaits sentencing.
The jury returned a guilty verdict after about three and a half hours of deliberation.
Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lapp prosecuted the case.
Manheim Township Police Officer Scott Dierwechter filed the charges.
