Jeffrey David Cope, 22, of East Ridge Street, Lansford, is currently being housed in Carbon County Prison after being charged that he sexually assaulted an 8-year-old girl in Nesquehoning.

The assaults continued over a two-year period, according to the police complaint. The girl is now 10.Cope was arraigned before District Judge Casimir Kosciolek of Lansford yesterday and then transported to the prison after Kosciolek set bail at $50,000 straight.The affidavit filed by Nesquehoning Police Officer Timothy Wuttke states Cope admitted to just one incident, but stated it was the girl - who was 8 years old at the time - who instigated it.A sexual act was started at that time, Cope told police, but after awhile Cope realized "he knew this type of behavior was wrong."The affidavit, though, accuses Cope of continuing his assaults on the young girl.In fact, the affidavit says Cope would have not only this little girl, but another female juvenile, "take off their clothes for him."The affidavit describes various sexual acts that Cope allegedly utilized on the victim.Police said when Cope was initially approached, he agreed to take a polygraph test to prove his innocence.During this exam, police say, "Cope did admit to a sexual encounter." It was this encounter that Cope blamed on the child as the instigator.Cope said he allowed a sexual act at this time to continue for about 10 minutes before stopping it.Cope was charged with two counts of rape, one count of rape of a child less than 13 years of age, two counts of statutory sexual assault, four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, one count of sexual assault, three counts of aggravated indecent assault, four counts of indecent assault, and one count of corruption of minors.