JEFFERSON TWP — A 20-year-old Westmoreland County man is accused of sexually assaulting a young boy in 2011 and 2012 in the township.

John J. Rossi IV of Latrobe was 14 and 15 at the time, authorities said. The victim was 7 and 8.

State police Wednesday arrested Rossi following their investigation that began in September when the alleged victim came forward with his accusations.

District Judge Sue Haggerty arraigned Rossi on felony charges of involuntary deviate intercourse with a child and aggravated indecent assault with a person under 13 years old and a misdemeanor charge of indecent assault with a person younger than 13. He is free on $50,000 unsecured bail.

On Sept. 22, the boy recounted during a forensic interview by the Butler County Alliance for Children that Rossi had done “bad things” to him years ago, according to court documents.

Because the boy was uncomfortable talking about the alleged assaults, police said, the interviewer gave him paper to write what happened.

He described the sex acts that Rossi allegedly committed and wrote “scary” when asked how he felt at the time.

Rossi, he said, told him not to tell anyone of the assaults.

Police on Nov. 8 interviewed Rossi. He admitted sexually assaulting the boy, court documents said, and he acknowledged he knew at the time that what he was doing was wrong.

Rossi's preliminary hearing is set for Wednesday at Haggerty's office in Saxonburg.