A Monroe County man pleaded guilty in Carbon County court to a simple assault count in a case in which he apparently took a situation "too far."

Rodney Charles Decker, 49, of East Stroudsburg, pleaded to the assault count in exchange for a charge of indecent assault without consent dropped in a plea bargain.Decker was arrested by Palmerton police for an incident on Feb. 15 along Delaware Avenue. Decker went to an apartment to service a woman's cable service and, according to his defense counsel, Jennifer Lynn Rapa, he received "mixed signals."After leaving the apartment he then sent text messages to the woman, police said, indicating he would return to the apartment for coffee. Later in the day he returned and the woman let him in.Police said he then made advances to the woman, attempting to kiss her while she told him to stop and leave.Palmerton Detective Kevin Buck interviewed Decker, who denied the allegations. Buck then asked Decker if he would take a polygraph examination. Decker agreed and took it at the state police barracks at Lehighton.After the test, Buck interviewed Decker again and he told the officer the allegations were accurate, but that he may have only brushed against her. On Thursday he denied "fondling" the victim.Decker said the incident cost him his job and also has caused him family problems.On Thursday the victim told the court the incident has affected her life and her family. It also has affected her job. She also told Serfass she has her "up and downs" because of the incident.Serfass told Decker, "Clearly you took this too far," adding, "you don't seem remorseful about this either."Serfass then placed Decker on probation for 24 months and ordered he render 100 hours of community service, have no contact with the victim or her family, pay court costs of $1,000, and pay a $50 per month supervision fee while on probation.