Sexual assault trial postponed

July 13--SUNBURY -- The trial for a former Northumberland County resident accused of sexually assaulting a young girl between the ages of six and 12 has been postponed until at least September.

Despite a jury being selected on Monday and the two-day trial scheduled to begin this week, the case against Ralph French, 38, won't see a resolution until later this year, but the reasons have not been publicly disclosed. The next trial term for Northumberland County Judge Hugh Jones is in September.

Defense attorneys Rachael Glasoe and Benjamin Greene declined comment. Assistant District Attorney Julia Skinner, the lead prosecutor in the case, referred all comments to District Attorney Tony Matulewicz, who could not be reached.

French is charged with four felony counts of rape of a child, statutory sexual assault of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child and aggravated indecent assault of a child and a misdemeanor count of indecent assault of a person age 13 or younger.

The victim told police that the abuse started when she was six years old and continued until she was 12. French only stopped when the girl threatened to tell someone about his abuse, police said.

Skinner said the time frame is between 2003 and 2013.

French has been incarcerated since Dec. 10, 2015, in Florida before being extradited to Northumberland County and held in prison in lieu of $100,000 monetary bail.

Email Justin Strawser at jstrawser@dailyitem.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinLStrawser.

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