Knox man convicted of rape, other charges

From staff reports

A Knox man was convicted Monday of five charges, including rape, following a one-day trial in Clarion County.

Thomas Edward Servey, 57, was found guilty by the jury of felony counts of rape-threat of forcible compulsion, statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors-defendant aged 18 or above and a misdemeanor count of indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old.

Clarion County President Judge James Arner revoked Servey’s bail, and he was taken to the Clarion County jail where he will await sentencing.

Clarion state police were called to Servey’s Beaver Township home in September 2016 by the mother of a 15-year-old girl. The mother had told police dispatchers she found Servey and the girl in bed together.

The mother told police Servey was in the home with a handgun and had poured gasoline on the porch and was threatening to burn the house down.

Clarion trooper Rodney Hotchkiss said at the time that Servey left the house as the troopers were approaching. Hotchkiss said Servey turned off the driveway and into a field before stopping and exiting the vehicle.

“He got out and raised his arms,” Hotchkiss said at the time. “We could see a holster with a revolver. He also had a pistol in his pocket along with a knife.”

Servey was taken into custody without further incident.

The 15-year-old girl said at the time of Servey’s arrest that the sexual incidents with Servey had been “going on since she was young” and that she and her mother lived with Servey in Clarion.