Havertown judge charged with molesting girl

A judge from Havertown was arrested Wednesday on a charge of indecent assault involving a 12-year-old girl, authorities said.

Gerald Liberace, 69, of Nancy Drive, is senior district judge in the township. In addition to indecent assault, he is charged with one count each of endangering the welfare of a child and corruption of a minor. If convicted, he faces up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine on each charge.

According to a grand jury, the daughter of a woman with whom Liberace was romantically involved was alone with him on a night in August 2004 while her mother visited a friend.

According to the grand jury, the girl crawled into Liberace's bed, and he began scratching her back. He then allegedly reached under her pajamas and panties and touched her, the contact continuing for about 10 minutes.

The girl, now a senior in high school, reported the allegation to authorities in 2009 after telling her family and a therapist.

Delaware County investigators last summer intercepted a phone conversation during which Liberace apologized to the girl, authorities said.

"You know I did things that I guess were inappropriate, and the only thing I can say is that I felt very close to you, and it breaks my heart that you're not in my life anymore," Liberace said, according to investigators. "And, well, you know, I, I don't know what to say. I mean, I'm sorry if I, you know, if I did things that were not proper."

Liberace was released on $5,000 unsecured bail.