Greensburg, PA -- A man, living locally, is behind bars after police said he sexually assaulted a young child on multiple occasions.

Greensburg Police arrested John Schmidt-Short, 26, after receiving a ChildLine detailing the allegations in February which prompted the investigation.

Detectives and Children and Youth Services followed up on the ChildLine report and interviewed the victim's mother. 

She told police the victim and Schmidt-Short would have sleepovers in the living room where the victim would sleep on a makeshift bed and Schmidt-Short would sleep on the couch. 

After a sleepover in February, the victim disclosed that the child's private area hurt. 

Detectives said a sexual assault examination and a forensic interview was conducted with the victim. 

The victim alleged that Schmidt-Short was touching the child's private area and claimed the assaults started in late summer of 2024. 

The victim said the incidents occurred in the living room during sleepovers and Schmidt-Short would tell the child the next day that what happened was a secret.

According to detectives, medical records showed the victim had an injury consistent with acute trauma to the child's private region consistent with the child's allegations. 

Schmidt-Short is facing charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, aggravated indecent assault of a child, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age, endangering the welfare of children, and corruption of minors. 

Schmidt Short is also facing separate charges for strangulation, simple assault, and false imprisonment. 

He was remanded to the Westmoreland County Prison on $250,000 bail. 

Disclaimer: To the extent that pending criminal matters are discussed, all such charges are merely accusations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.