A Lancaster County jury convicted a Salisbury Township of repeatedly sexually assaulting two young girls over the course of seven years following a four-day trial last week.
The jury found Nathan Woodhull Smith, 74, guilty on March 20 of two counts each of rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors and five counts of indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age.
Smith repeatedly sexually assaulted the victims at his residence in the 800 block of Glorry Lane beginning around 2004.
One of the victims, now 25, told investigators Smith sexually assaulted her starting from when she was 5 years old. The assaults ended when the victim got her menstrual cycle at age 9, she said.
The second victim, also now 25, told police that Smith sexually assaulted her multiple times starting from when she was 5 years old. The assaults took place in multiple locations including Smith’s house and his car when no one else was around, she said.
Smith also told the victim not to tell anyone about the assaults, which ended when she was 11 years old.
Police began investigating Smith in August 2021 after one of the victims reported the assaults.
The jury returned a guilty verdict after about an hour and a half of deliberation.
Judge Jeffrey Conrad, who presided over the trial, is scheduled to sentence Smith in about 90 days. Additionally, Judge Conrad increased Smith’s bail to $5 million.
Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Ponessa prosecuted the case.
Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Amos Glick filed the charges.