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City man faces sex assault charge from 2016 incident

A Warren man is charged with a sexual assault related to alleged incidents from 2016.

Daniel F. Banko, 40, of Elliot Street, is charged with aggravated indecent assault – without consent; and indecent assault – without consent.

According to City of Warren Police, Banko inappropriately touched a woman in July 2016 while she slept. Police said the alleged victim and her family spent the night with Banko’s family at one of his relative’s homes after a kayak trip.

The victim told police she had been asleep for a few hours when she awoke to Banko touching her.

“When the victim stopped the defendant and asked what he was doing, the defendant stated, ‘You’re not going to tell your mother like your … sister did, are you?'” according to the affidavit of probable cause.

The alleged victim reported the incident to a friend and to her mother more than a year later, according to the affidavit.

The mother told police she remembered her daughter telling her and confronting Banko who told her it was “a bad mistake,” apologized, and asked forgiveness, according to the affidavit.

According to the affidavit, Banko told a family member that it was a mistake– he thought the victim was someone else.

The alleged incident was reported to Pennsylvania State Police in June and turned over to City of Warren Police in July.

Banko was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Raymond Zydonik and released on $25,000 unsecured bail.

A preliminary hearing is set for 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4.

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