Charges against a Palmerton man accused of the aggravated indecent assault of a teenager have been bound over to Carbon County Court.

Rafo Bencun, 67, of 819 Delaware Ave. Apt. C, chose to have a preliminary hearing Wednesday before District Judge William Kissner of Palmerton.Bencun faces charges of aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and corruption of minors.Before the hearing, a competency hearing was conducted with the alleged victim, a 15-year-old girl who is a special education student.Kissner determined through the hearing that the victim was competent to provide testimony in the case.Carbon County Assistant District Attorney Michael Greek asked the victim how she met Bencun.The victim said she was riding her bike through the Palmerton Borough Park in July 2014 when she noticed Bencun sitting on a bench in the park, and that the two talked for about an hour.Afterward, the victim said Bencun bought her food and later drove her to his apartment. The victim said Bencun drove a white car, and that she sat in the front passenger side seat.The victim said after Bencun showed her his place, they watched television. Bencun then asked the victim if she ever had sex, to which she said she had not.Bencun then asked the victim if she wanted to try it, and she said no. The victim said Bencun asked her if she wanted to go into the bedroom, and she said no.The victim said Bencun then told her to go into the bedroom, which she did. At the time, the victim said Bencun had his underwear on, and she had all her clothes on.According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by Detective Kevin Buck of the Palmerton Police Department:Upon entering the apartment, Bencun began asking the victim if she ever had sex, and she advised him that she was only 14 years old.After asking the victim if she wanted to try it, she told Bencun that she did not and he then asked her about "practice sex" which led to Bencun taking her into the bedroom and pushing her down on the bed and rubbing against her.The victim said this lasted about five to six minutes before she pushed him off her.He told her in the future he would take her to California with him.During her testimony, the victim said she visited Bencun for a second time after she rode her bike to his place.The girl said she had returned to the apartment a second time and they were watching television and he began kissing and fondling her.The victim said she visited Bencun for a third time after she rode her bike to his place.During that visit, the victim said Bencun pushed her away and told her not to come in because the cops were watching.After the victim's testimony, Bencun's attorney Paul Levy made a motion to have the aggravated indecent assault charge dismissed. Kissner denied the request.Bencun is scheduled to appear July 2 for a pretrial conference in the district attorney's office at the Carbon County Courthouse in Jim Thorpe.Bencun remains free in lieu of $75,000 unsecured bail. As part of the release conditions, Kissner ruled that Bencun is entered into the pretrial program through the Carbon County Adult Probation Office and is prohibited from entering any Palmerton Borough Park or athletic field.