Edward Myers

Prosecutors have asked the court to forbid a Saxonburg man who is jailed on charges that he helped set a 7-year-old boy on fire from visits with his own sons.

The defendant, 36-year-old Edward Myers, is in the Butler County Prison unable to post $250,000 bail while awaiting trial.

But prosecutors believe one and possibly both of his two sons have visited him there.

“Such visits are inappropriate ... as they constitute meetings of co-conspirators,” Assistant District Attorney Richard Bosco wrote in a request to county Judge William Shaffer.

Bosco refused to comment on his motion, and Myers’ defense attorney Gerald Cassady said only, “We are opposed to the motion, and we are going to ask the judge to allow visitation to continue.”

Prosecutors believe Myers and his sons, ages 15 and 11, attacked Daniel Podskalny May 25 in Myers’ mobile home.

Court records allege the three shot Daniel with Airsoft and pellet guns. Myers allegedly followed the boy to the bathroom and poured nail polish remover over him. Daniel said that his shirt was then purposefully ignited, apparently by Myers’ older son with a lit cigarette, authorities said.

The county district attorney’s office has charged Myers with three counts of first-degree felony assault: one for allegedly dousing the boy in flammable liquid, one for allegedly shooting the victim with an air gun, and a final count alleging Myers had encouraged and incited “juveniles to punch, strike, and kick the victim in and about the head and body numerous times,” according to court records.

Myers’ older son already has been adjudicated delinquent, which is the juvenile court equivalent of a conviction, on misdemeanor charges in this case.

The younger boy was not charged.

Myers is next scheduled to appear in court Nov. 5.