GREENFIELD — A Greenfield man faces three child molest charges after two people came forward with similar stories of sexual assault.
Christopher B. Cole, 41, of Greenfield, pleaded not guilty to all three counts Thursday in Hancock Circuit Court and was released from Hancock County Jail on a $25,000 surety bond.
A teenage girl told police Cole touched her inappropriately multiple times while she was staying at his home between 2012 and 2014; during the investigation into her allegations, police uncovered another potential victim from years earlier. That woman told police Cole molested her in July 2002 when she was a teenager, according to court documents.
The teen told her stepfather about the abuse when her stepfather approached her because she had been acting out recently, court records state.
The victim broke down crying, and told her stepfather Cole had molested her on two separate occasions in the past few years, police said.
During one incident, the victim was staying at Cole’s home when he came into the room she was sleeping in and touched her inappropriately, the victim told police. Later, Cole fondled her while they were watching a movie, court records state.
When questioned by police, Cole denied touching the girl and told police he only occasionally smacked her on the bottom when she walked by him, according to court documents.
While police were interviewing the victim, her mother said she knew about another child Cole had assaulted years before, court records state.
When police interviewed the woman, she told them she stayed at Cole’s house often when she was younger. One night, she was sleeping on the couch when he took the blanket off her and molested her, according to court documents.
Cole’s charges include two Class A felonies, each of which carries a penalty of 20 to 50 years and up to $10,000 in fines. He is also charged with a Level 1 felony, which carries a penalty of 20 to 40 years and up to $10,000 in fines.
