Inmate's sexual assault case advances
A Butler County inmate is accused of falsely claiming that a corrections officer inappropriately touched him during a strip search last month.
Andrew T. Halaburka, 27, of Homestead, Allegheny County, on Monday waived his right to a preliminary hearing in Butler on misdemeanor charges of false swearing and false reports to law enforcement authorities. He remains free on $2,500 bail.
Halaburka on Aug., 29 reported to prison officials that the officer had grabbed his private parts following a so-called “cell extraction” operation, which is the forcible removal of a prisoner from his cell.
The defendant and his cellmate were removed because they refused to close their cell door as instructed, according to court documents.
He claimed he was sexually assaulted during the subsequent body search.
Butler County Detective David Aldridge was notified about the inmate's report and on Aug. 30 he interviewed Halaburka at the prison.
The defendant provided a three-page written statement, which he signed.
Aldridge later reviewed video surveillance of the incident during which at least 10 people, guards and prisoners, were in the same area at the time.
Aldridge in his affidavit said he “doubts that any assault could have occurred without anyone else noticing.”
Additionally, he noted, another inmate came forward and told authorities that Halaburka was “lying,” documents said.
That other inmate recounted a conversation he had with Halaburka during which the defendant allegedly told him that “they bought it,” apparently meaning authorities believed his report that implicated the officer.
Halaburka had been booked into the prison Aug. 24 following his arrest on a bench warrant for failing to appear at a court hearing stemming from a 2014 misdemeanor retail theft case, according to prison officials and court records.
He was arraigned on the latest charges Sept. 4 and released Saturday after posting bail.
Halaburka denies the allegations, said his attorney, public defender Charles Nedz, following Monday's court proceedings at the office of District Judge William Fullerton. Nedz declined further comment.
