Family Friend Charged With Bare-bottom Spanking of Girl
By Dan Wheeler
LITCHFIELD, Conn. (AP) - A little league coach accused of repeatedly spanking a little girl after pulling down her pants has been charged with sexual assault.
Ronald Ellis, 30, of New Hartford, was in Bantam Superior Court on Monday. He was released on a written promise to appear in court.
Ellis has been charged with fourth-degree sexual assault and risk of injury to a minor in the October incidents.
According to an arrest warrant, Ellis ordered a 9-year-old girl to pull down her pants so he could spank her along a remote area of the Farmington River Turnpike while they were riding bicycles and again at a New Hartford firehouse.
Ellis is a volunteer firefighter.
Police said he also choked the girl's 8-year-old brother after the boy refused to obey him.
State police arrested Ellis on a warrant Friday. His next court date is Dec. 17.
State police said Ellis befriended the two children and their sister through an acquaintance with their father.
Copyright 1996 Associated Press.