A Tamaqua man was committed to the Schuylkill County Prison on charges that he raped two girls over the course of almost four years.

Tamaqua Police Officer Karl Harig and Detective Thomas Rodgers filed the charges Thursday against Austin James Dennis, 22, of the 500 block of Washington Street.

Police said the incidents began on Jan. 1, 2018, when one of the victims was 4 years old and the other was 5, and continued until Aug. 23, 2021.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, Harig received a call on Dec. 16 from a woman who was concerned about her granddaughter and “sex offenses.” The woman told Harig that her granddaughter said a man had touched her in her “no-no” spot. The grandmother told the officer that the girl was learning about “that stuff” in school and it may have triggered something.

Harig interviewed the girl and she said “Austin did bad things.” She said it happened on more than one occasion.

The girl who is now 7, also told police that, “He got both of us. He did the same thing” to her sister. The girl said that Dennis threatened to kill her mother if she told anyone.

Harig then spoke to the other victim, who is now 8-years-old. The older girl described sexual acts and also said Dennis threatened to kill her mother if she told anyone.

Dennis was arraigned Thursday before Magisterial District Judge Steven Bayer in Tamaqua.

In addition to the two counts of felony rape of a child, he was charged with two felony counts of involuntary sexual intercourse with a child; one count of felony indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old; one count of felony aggravated indecent assault of a child; two counts of felony corruption of minors; two misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure and two counts of misdemeanor terroristic threats.

In determining bail, Bayer noted that Dennis was not an area native. Dennis said he moved to Tamaqua from Florida about three years ago. Dennis said he has a child on the way, and has been employed for three months at a Hometown business.

Bayer set bail at $100,000 straight cash. He was remanded to jail.