West Virginia Paramedic-Firefighter Faces More Sex Charges

May 19, 2005
A paramedic-firefighter charged in Morgan County with 69 felony counts of sexually abusing children has been indicted on similar charges in neighboring Berkeley County.

MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) -- A paramedic-firefighter charged in Morgan County with 69 felony counts of sexually abusing children has been indicted on similar charges in neighboring Berkeley County.

Amos ''Fred'' Pearrell Jr., 41, of Hedgesville was charged Wednesday by the Berkeley County grand jury with 71 counts, including 28 counts of first-degree sexual assault, 28 counts of incest and 15 counts of sexual assault by a parent, guardian or custodian.

Pearrell is on administrative leave from his job with the Martinsburg Fire Department, City Manager Mark Baldwin said Thursday.

The Berkeley County charges involve a boy who was 4 when the alleged abuse began in 1985. It allegedly continued until 1992 when Pearrell moved to Morgan County, according to the indictment.

Pearrell was indicted last month in Morgan County on charges of first- and second-degree sexual assault, incest and sexual abuse by a custodian involving the same boy, as well as his sister. That alleged abuse occurred between 1992 and 1996, according to the Morgan County indictment.

Morgan County Circuit Judge Gray Silver set trial for Aug. 16.

Information from: The Journal

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