STATE COLLEGE (AP) - Child sex abuse charges against former Penn State defensive coordinator and The Second Mile founder Jerry Sandusky were filed, then withdrawn, Friday in the office of Magisterial District Judge Leslie A. Dutchcot in State College.
The Harrisburg Patriot-News, which first broke the story in April that Sandusky was under investigation by a statewide grand jury, stated Friday evening that the posting of 40 charges against the 67-year-old retired coach was a mistake and stated that the charges would be refiled Monday.
The charges were initially filed by state police investigator Scott F. Rossman, who used to be with the Rockview barracks in Centre County. He is now located at the Avondale barracks. Rossman was not at the Chester County state police barracks on Friday.
The entry apparently disappeared from the court system's online docket later Friday, and a state police spokeswoman couldn't explain why. Court officials in Centre County said Friday they hadn't received the paperwork, and a spokesman for the state attorney general's office, which led the investigation, declined to comment Friday.
Prosecution of Sandusky will be handled by the office of Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly. That was confirmed on Friday by Centre County District Attorney Stacy Parks Miller.
According to the list of offenses that was filed, then withdrawn, Sandusky will face 40 counts of child sexual abuse.
They include seven counts each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years old, and one count of aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 16 years of age.
The charges included eight counts of indecent assault, including five counts involving a person less than 16 years old and three counts of a person less than 13 years of age.
Additionally, Sandusky was charged with eight counts each of sexual contact or communications with minors, corruption of minors and endangering the welfare of children.
The charges allegedly stem from events in 1995, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2005.
The allegations surfaced in 2009 while Sandusky was a volunteer assistant high school football coach at Central Mountain High School in Clinton County, the Patriot-News first reported in March. The incidents were alleged to have taken place in Centre County.
When it became know earlier this year that allegations of child abuse had been raised by a Clinton County youngster, Sandusky, through his attorney, Joseph Amendola of State College, denied the charges.
Amendola was not available for comment Friday.
Sandusky's status as a defensive coordinator for Penn State approached legendary proportions prior to his retirement in 1999. Sandusky, once considered a potential successor to Paterno, drew up the defenses for the Nittany Lions' national-title teams in 1982 and 1986.
In addition, he is known for his work with The Second Mile, a nonprofit group he started in 1977, that serves at-risk children.
After serving on Penn State's staff for 32 years, Sandusky retired to devote his energies to The Second Mile. He retired from the charity's board last year, and executive vice president Katherine Genovese said then that he had been scaling back his duties in recent years so that he could spend more time with family and deal with his personal life.
The Second Mile released a statement Friday saying staff members were "shaken" by the announcement of charges. It said Sandusky informed the organization in November 2008 that he was being investigated as a result of allegations made against him by an adolescent male.
"Jerry maintains that there is no truth to the allegations," the statement said.
The Second Mile said the charges do not directly involve the organization or its programs. Sandusky had no involvement in children's programs and services at The Second Mile since November 2008, the statement said.
Penn State Sports Information Director Jeff Nelson said Friday neither Athletic Director Tim Curley nor Joe Paterno had comment on the charges. Both testified before the grand jury earlier this year.
The Altoona Mirror contributed to this article.
