Benner Township Man Charged with Indecent Assault of a Child

A Centre County man was arrested Monday on charges that he indecently assaulted a 12-year-old girl on two occasions.

The girl told a forensic interviewer at the Centre County Children’s Advocacy Center that Dennis Lee Ring, 52, of Benner Township, groped and digitally penetrated her in December and groped her again during another incident in March, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed by state police at Rockview.

Ring allegedly admitted to a Children and Youth Services caseworker and a state trooper that he groped the girl and apologized afterwards, adding that he is “not that type of person.” He told the trooper he was drunk at the time and that he did not recall if he touched her anywhere else or if there was more than one incident, according to the affidavit.

He also allegedly said he did not believe the girl was lying.

“I guarantee you I did it if I was drunk,” he told the trooper, according to the affidavit.

Ring is charged with one felony count of aggravated indecent assault of a child and three felony counts of indecent assault of a person younger than 13.

He was arraigned by District Judge Allen Sinclair and released on $100,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 27.