A Wattsburg man has pleaded not guilty to the first of two sets of sex abuse charges filed against him.

Richard L. Sweet, 52, appeared before President Judge Gregory Hammond in the Court of Common Pleas for arraignment recently and pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree rape of a child, two counts of first-degree statutory sexual assault: 11 years older, two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child; two counts of first-degree felony unlawful contact with a minor; two counts of third-degree felony indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age; and two counts of third-degree corruption of minors – defendant age 18 or above earlier this month for incidents that allegedly began in December 2015.

Sweet has been in the Warren County Prison since Dec. 4 after being charged by the State Police at Warren. In the wake of the December charges, Sweet was charged with additional counts of first-degree felony rape of a child, first-degree felony statutory sexual assault – 11 years older, first-degree felony involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, two counts of first-degree felony unlawful contact with a minor – sexual offenses, third-degree felony indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age and third-degree felony corruption of minors – defendant age 18 or above.

According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed by the State Police at Warren on the second set of charges, troopers began investigating a CY-104 notice filed in November reported by a girl who said she had allegedly been sexually assaulted by her mother’s ex-partner. The girl was interviewed in December at her home. She told troopers that when she was younger Sweet lived with her family and allegedly would have sexual contact with the girl. One instance of that contact is detailed in the affidavit.

“Based on the aforementioned information, I believe cause exists for the above listed charges and I respectfully request the defendant, currently incarcerated in the Warren County Jail, answer to these charges,” the arresting officer wrote in the affidavit.

Other pleas entered during Plea Court recently include:

– Adam R. J. Sarver, 21, of Clarendon pleaded not guilty to charges of simple assault, disorderly conduct engaged in fighting and harassment filed Oct. 31 by Warren city police after an alleged incident Sept. 18 in Warren.

– Krystal L. Bair, 21, of Jamestown, N.Y., waived appearance at arraignment after she was charged Nov. 4 with three counts of third-degree felony endangering the welfare of children – parent/guardian/other commits offense by Warren city police officers after an alleged incident June 25 in Warren.

– Lacy Abraham, 39, of Sheffield pleaded not guilty in court after she was charged with retail theft – taking merchandise Nov. 18 by Warren city police officers after an alleged incident Nov. 13 in Warren.

– Jason L. Pattison, 44, of Mayville, N.Y., entered no plea during formal arraignment. Pattison was charged Dec. 11 with third-degree felony accessing a device issued to another who did not authorize use and misdemeanor identity theft. Pattison was preliminarily arraigned Dec. 1 by Magisterial District Court Judge Todd Woodin, who set bail at $75,000. Bail was changed Dec. 10 to include non-monetary conditions after a request from the county District Attorney’s office. Pattison is due back in court for a formal arraignment on Jan. 15 in front of Judge Gregory Hammond. According to the Affidavit of Probable Cause, Youngsville police received a complaint from a Youngsville resident who said they believed their identity had been used to open two credit cards in their name, with the charges affecting their credit score. The person identified Pattison and provided police documentation that a United Refining charge had been opened and used 28 times in August for a total of $1,782.44. The person disputed the charges and created a fraud incident with United Refining.

The card was allegedly applied for on July 13, 2025, and approved to be opened and used July 17, 2025. The card was allegedly opened using the personal information of the Youngsville resident with Pattison’s Mayville address. The county resident said there was an attempt to open another card using the same information, but the attempt was flagged on the credit report and canceled before any charges were made.

“The Youngsville police contacted United Refining and requested video surveillance of the person corresponding with the purchases with the credit card at Kwik Fill locations,” the Affidavit of Probable Cause states. “The person in the videos using the card is the defendant in this case. The defendant has a distinct and recognizable neck tattoo in his license photo as well as in the surveillance video from the Kwik Fill store in Mayville, N.Y.”

– Jarrell L. Stewart of Buffalo, who was charged Dec. 4, 2025, with third-degree felony theft by unlawful taking – movable property, two counts of third-degree felony access device is counterfeit, altered or incomplete, misdemeanor theft by unlawful taking – movable property and two misdemeanor counts of possessing accessing device knowing counterfeit or altered. The charges against Stewart originated in 2021. Stewart has been in the Warren County Prison on $100,000 bail since Dec. 1. He pleaded not guilty in front of Judge Hammond.