Andrew P. Ford, 37, of Butler, had the majority of charges against him for statutory sexual assault held for court at a preliminary hearing in front of district judge William Fullerton on Monday, Sept. 21.

Ford was arrested Thursday, Sept. 10, after allegedly engaging in sexual acts multiple times with a 14-year-old girl.

Ford’s charges include felony counts of statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person under 16, corruption of minors and aggravated indecent assault; and misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure, indecent assault of a person under 16 years of age and open lewdness.

Ford was also initially charged with aggravated indecent assault of a complainant under 16, but that charge was dismissed during Monday’s hearing.

The incident was first reported to the Butler City Police Department on Friday, Aug. 14, when, according to a police affidavit, a woman reported her 14-year-old daughter had been texting and meeting with a man who appeared to be in his 40s. Police said they identified the man as Ford through photos taken on the girl’s phone.

When questioned at the Child Advocacy Center, the girl told police she had engaged in sexual intercourse with Ford “at multiple places and at multiple locations,” according to the affidavit. She also told police she had initially told Ford she was 18, but later told him she was actually 14. She told police Ford continued to engage in sexual intercourse with her after finding out her age.

Ford was arrested on Sept. 10 and shortly afterward, police say he admitted the girl had been to his residence on “multiple occasions” and the two had met at Rotary Park in Butler “no more than five times.”

Ford is currently confined to Butler County Jail in lieu of $150,000 bail.