Jeannette family again charged with enslaving young woman
Three members of a family charged in 2007 with kidnapping and enslaving a 19-year old woman in Greensburg face similar charges involving a 17-year-old runaway in Jeannette.
Police have charged Cynthia E. Pollard, 44, 310 N. First St., Apt. 3, along with her son and daughter, for holding the teen against her will after she left a foster home in Irwin.
The teen was struck, threatened and forced into sex acts in exchange for food and cigarettes, according to police.
Cynthia Pollard was charged Thursday with interference with custody of children, false imprisonment, terroristic threats, corruption of minors, criminal conspiracy and unlawful restraint.
Her daughter, Tabitha Pollard, 19, 303 Clay Ave., Apt. 6, Jeannette, was charged with unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, terroristic threats, corruption of minors and criminal conspiracy.
Her son Jonathan Michael Pollard, 20, 303 Clay Ave., Apt. 3, Jeannette, was charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, sexual assault, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, interference with the custody of children, aggravated assault, simple assault, corruption of minors, terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and criminal conspiracy.
According to the criminal complaint filed jointly by Jeannette police and Westmoreland County detectives, Jonathan Pollard met the girl at a foster home in Irwin and told her she could run away and stay at his apartment. Once there, she was not allowed to leave.
"Whenever she wanted to leave, she felt threatened," the complaint read. He would call his sister and mother when the girl wanted to leave, and they would threaten her.
Jonathan Pollard allegedly threw the girl against the wall, pulled her hair and smacked her in the face, threatening to harm her family and friends.
The complaint said she was allowed two cigarettes per day and if she wanted more she had to engage in sexual activity with Jonathan Pollard. She also had to engage in sex acts to get food, police said.
The girl was reported as a runaway juvenile from Irwin July 15. Jeff Stahl, Jeannette police chief, said she had been held since that date.
"She was able to break free and escape the apartment on Clay Avenue," Stahl said. "She went to the Rite Aid and called 911."
The Pollards were arraigned Thursday before Jeannette District Judge Joseph DeMarchis. Bail was set at $250,000 for Jonathan Pollard, $75,000 for Cynthia Pollard and $50,000 for Tabitha Pollard.
In 2007, the three, along with Cynthia's husband, Mark Pollard Sr., and their son Mark Pollard Jr., were charged with kidnapping and enslaving 19-year-old Emily Nicely. Nicely testified she was beaten and enslaved for six months period.
Cynthia and Mark Pollard were sentenced to up to nearly two years in prison on the charges, most of which they served while they awaited sentencing.
