A Butler County Common Pleas Court judge denied a motion to release a man who has been jailed for nearly two years for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman and a second motion seeking information from police about the woman.

Judge Joseph Kubit denied a motion seeking to release John B. Bujak, 65, from Butler County Prison on nominal bail with electronic monitoring because he has been held for nearly two years without being brought to trial. The motion seeking police records relating to the woman also was denied.

Kubit issued orders Friday, March 6, denying the motions after oral arguments were held Thursday.

Defense attorney Armand Cingolani argued that Bujak has been held in custody for nearly two years without being brought to trial and he can’t afford bail, which is set at $100,000. He said Bujak doesn’t own a vehicle and could stay at a home on electronic monitoring far from where the woman lives if he was released on nominal bail.

In addition, Cingolani said he wants records regarding previous incidents involving the woman from state police, Penn Township police and Saxonburg police.

Assistant district attorney Laura Pitchford said a delay in bringing a defendant to trial must to be attributed to the prosecution for nominal bail to be granted, but the delay in Bujak’s case is due to continuances requested by defense attorneys. The district attorney’s office has not requested any continuances, she said.

In addition, the safety of the woman cannot be ensured if Bujak is released, Pitchford said. An intimidation case connected to the sexual assault case is also pending against Bujak, she said.

She said the records are not exculpatory, relevant to the case against Bujak or admissible.

According to state police, the woman reported she went to Bujak’s home in Jefferson Township on Oct. 15, 2024, and slept on a couch. She said she woke up around 10 p.m., found her pants and underwear had been removed and noticed a sex toy on a nearby coffee table, according to an affidavit.

She said she confronted Bujak, who gave her the clothes and took her home. She then sent him a text message, and he admitted to sexually assaulting her while she slept, according to the affidavit.

Police charged Bujak with felonies counts of sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse involving an unconscious person, two counts of aggravated indecent assault and misdemeanor charges of indecent assault of an unconscious person and indecent assault.

On Oct. 21, 2024, police said Bujak called someone from jail asking them to offer the woman $1,000 to drop the sexual assault charges. Police charged Bujak with an additional felony count of criminal solicitation in response.