A former Jim Thorpe resident was jailed last week in Luzerne County, charged with sexual assault counts for having sexual relations with a young girl from a group home where he was employed.

Lee Alex Snyder, 23, of 228 Lee Park Ave., Hanover Township, was charged by township police with felony counts of statutory sexual assault, institutional sexual assault, and unlawful contact with a minor. He is accused of having sex with a 14-year-old girl from the Community Residential Rehabilitation Group Home in Nanticoke, where he was employed as a staff member.According to a report in the Citizens Voice newspaper of Wilkes-Barre, Snyder was responsible for planning and supervising children, including their work, recreation, study and community service activities.The paper said Snyder had been giving the girl gifts, which included a wrist watch, a stuffed animal and an iPod case. He then took the girl to his apartment on March 29, where he engaged in sex with the girl on two occasions during an eight-hour period.The police report indicated the girl said the two had sex while she was on a weekend visit to her home. Snyder, the girl told investigators, asked permission from her mother to take her.He picked her up at her home and took her to his apartment where the sexual encounters occurred.Snyder was questioned by police and reportedly admitted having sex with the girl twice and that they had spoken by video chat. Snyder told police that during the video chat he and the girl were naked in their respective showers.Snyder is no longer employed at the home. The newspaper account states a spokesperson for the group home, which is owned by Children's Service Center of Wyoming Valley, refused to say whether Snyder was fired or quit.Snyder was arraigned on the charges before a district judge and committed to the county prison after failing to post $50,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled in the case for 9:30 a.m. on April 30 before DJ Joseph A. Halesey.