Victim claims abuse was initiated by text messages
HOUGHTON -- The criminal sexual conduct trial of a Painesdale man got underway with emotional testimony from his alleged victim.
Forty-one-year-old Jerry Wisniewski is accused of sexually abusing a young girl for more than a year.
The girl took the stand following opening statements by both lawyers and told the courtroom that there had been multiple incidents of inappropriate touching and requests for explicit photos. An older friend testified that she was present one of the times the victim received a text message from Wisniewski.
“I heard her phone go off and she looked at it,” said Hannah Hawley. “I was sitting next to her, and I tried to look over at the text, and I couldn't really see, but I saw the words, 'come downstairs.'”
Testimony will continue Thursday morning. The trial is expected to last three days.