A Tamaqua landlord who is accused of inappropriately touching his young female tenants was scheduled for a preliminary hearing before District Judge Stephen Bayer on Monday morning.

After almost an hour of out-of-court discussion, the defendant, Thomas Rockwell, 78, of 318 Lafayette St., Tamaqua, agreed to waive his hearing to the Schuylkill County Court.Rockwell was scheduled to answer to felony charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, indecent assault, solicitation to commit indecent assault and misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors and indecent exposure in two separate cases.According to the affidavits filed by Tamaqua Cpl. Henry Woods, Rockwell was at one of his rental properties on Aug. 19to check for possible needed repairs.He entered the living room, positioning himself between an 8-year-old girl and the other people in the room. When an adult noticed the child squirming on the couch, she stood up to investigate. She saw that Rockwell's pants were unzipped and she removed the child from the room.She then told the child's mother, and the two women went to police the following day.The victim told authorities that Rockwell often had his zipper open in front of her. He also touched her groin area almost every time he was at the apartment, saying he was "always there."The second victim, a 10-year-old girl, told the officer that Rockwell had been stripping in front of her for at least two years. Several times, he invited her to touch his private parts. She would decline and then leave the area. She also said he would touch her private area, over the top of her clothes, and then give her money.Rockwell agreed to turn himself in to police, but didn't until after Woods issued a warrant for his arrest in November.At that time, Rockwell was arraigned and bail was set at $200,000, $100,000 for each set of charges. Unable to immediately post the required $20,000, he was lodged in the Schuylkill County Prison in Pottsville. He was able to post bail a short time later. The hourlong delay on Monday enabled prosecutors and Rockwell's attorney, Nicholas Quinn, to come to an agreement. Rockwell waived the hearing so the young defendants did not have to testify. Prosecutors dropped the solicitation charge, with a caveat.Assistant Schuylkill County District Attorney Jennifer Lehman told Judge Bayer there is a stipulation, which was agreed to by all parties. When it comes time for Rockwell's case in county court, the solicitation charge will be reinstated if the charges go to trial and the victims have to testify.Also, if that charge is reinstated, the commonwealth will pursue charges on two additional cases that came to light after Rockwell's case became public.Rockwell remains free on bail and must avoid any contact with the victims and their families.