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Richard Earl Peterson, 40, of 1494 Briertown Road in East Earl, invited several juveniles to his residence on June 13 and gave them alcohol, prescription narcotics and marijuana, police said.
During the party, a 16-year-old female became ill and laid down in a bedroom. Police say Peterson entered the bedroom, removed the victim's clothes and had sexual intercourse with her without her consent.
He is charged with rape, sexual assault, reckless endangerment, aggravated assault and corruption of minors.
During the investigation, police discovered Peterson had been convicted of rape in 1994 and is a lifetime Megan's Law sex offender who had failed to register his current address, as required by law.
Peterson was arraigned June 24 before District Judge Rodney Hartman on the Megan's Law offense and committed to Lancaster County Prison on $25,000 bail.
Senior Judge Richard Reeser arraigned Peterson July 2 on the rape and related charges and hiked his bail an additional $500,000.
Peterson remains in Lancaster County Prison.
According to court documents, a preliminary hearing is scheduled for today on the Megan's Law violation. A preliminary hearing for the additional offenses is set for Friday.
E-mail: jtodd@lnpnews.com
