A Carbon County man pleaded guilty in the county court on Tuesday, admitting he assaulted two young girls, with the cases 20 years apart.

Herman Banks Hollenbach, 57, of Palmerton, pleaded in two pending cases before President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II.In the first case he pleaded to one count of aggravated indecent assault, a felony two. In the second matter, the case that dates back about 20 years, he pleaded to one count each of statutory sexual assault, felony two, endangering the welfare of a child, and corruption of minors, both misdemeanor ones.In the first case filed, on Jan. 17, 2013, Palmerton police officer Kevin Buck was requested to contact the Palmerton hospital emergency room. He was told that a mother was there with her juvenile daughter reporting that she had been sexually assaulted.The mother told Buck her daughter first told her aunt she did not want to go to Hollenbach's house because she felt uncomfortable. The aunt told the mother. The mother then questioned her daughter, who told her that Hollenbach had been touching her inappropriately.Later the girl was interviewed at the child Advocacy Center in Scranton, where the details of the sexual misconduct were brought to light.The victim was 11 and 12 years old at the time of the incidents.While investigating the incident, Buck was approached by a woman who told him she was sexually assaulted by Hollenbach when she was 11 and 12 years old, which was 20 years earlier. She said the sexual assaults continued until she was 15.In the first case, four counts of indecent assault, two counts of aggravated indecent assault, and one count each of indecent exposure and corruption of minors were dropped.In the second case charges of corruption of minors, two counts of rape and indecent assault, and one count each of incest, were dropped.In the plea agreement the sentences imposed in the two cases are to run consecutively. The potential sentences could mean a life sentence for Hollenbach.Nanovic deferred sentencing because the charges fall under the provisions of Megan's Law. Hollenbach must undergo a sexual offenders assessment by the state sexual assessment board.Nanovic also ordered the adult probation department to prepare a presentence investigation report.Nanovic told Hollenbach he faces a lifetime registration requirement as a sexual offender based on the charges he pleaded to.During the proceeding, Hollenbach said nothing except to answer "yes" when Nanovic asked if the allegations read into the record from the affidavit of probable cause in both cases were true.Hollenbach has been in prison since his arrest in the first case, unable to post $250,000 cash bail.