Charges tossed in Charleroi assault case after woman recants story
By KRISTIE LINDEN
klinden@yourmvi.com
A Charleroi woman who accused her boyfriend of striking her toddler with a baby gate told a judge Thursday she fabricated the entire story because she was blackmailed by an ex.
On Aug. 19, Jaime Ramsey told Charleroi Officer Chase Colucci that Wesley Roberts, 19, of Lincoln Avenue, tried to strangle her, struck her 3-year-old in the face with a baby gate and threatened to kick her 7-month-old baby.
Roberts was charged with aggravated assault, strangulation, theft, two counts of making terroristic threats and three counts of simple assault.
During a preliminary hearing Thursday, Magisterial District Judge Larry Hopkins told Ramsey she would have to explain what happened to him because her first story led to felony charges against Roberts.
“You’re telling me this is all made up?” Hopkins asked. Ramsey answered, “yes.” Hopkins held up a copy of the criminal complaint and again asked, “Everything is a lie here?”
“Yes, nothing happened,” Ramsey testified. “Wesley came up because I asked him to come over. We were in a fight and we had sex and I asked him if we could get back together and he said, ‘No.’”
Hopkins asked why she would make up a story about Roberts assaulting her and her child and Ramsey said, “Because my child’s father told me to. Because I’m afraid of him.”
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