Philipsburg couple charged in child sex abuse case; man tried to blame victim, PSP says

August 2024 · 2 minute read

Authorities say a Philipsburg man has been charged for allegedly sexually abusing a girl since she was 4 years old.

State police charged Michael Lutz, 47, on Tuesday with several sex crimes after receiving a tip from the girl’s teacher. Nicole Lutz, 42, was also charged with intimidation and endangering the welfare of children in the case.

According to a probable-cause affidavit, the girl, now 10, told investigators during a forensic interview that Michael Lutz had sexually assaulted her several times, starting when she was 4 years old until the current school year.

Michael Lutz denied the allegations and told authorities that the girl had initiated some of the incidents, according to the affidavit.

The girl also told authorities that both Michael and Nicole Lutz told her that they would buy her a pool, a bicycle and a trampoline if she told authorities she lied about the abuse, according to the affidavit.

Michael Lutz has been charged with 44 offenses, including seven first-degree felony counts of rape of a child and seven first-degree felony counts of aggravated indecent assault of a child.

He was arraigned Wednesday before District Judge Jerome M. Nevling, of Kylertown, and was sent to the Clearfield County Corrections Facility on $50,000 bond.

Nicole Lutz was arraigned Wednesday before Nevling and sent to the corrections facility on $10,000 bond.

Online court dockets indicate that both have since posted bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Sept. 6 before Nevling.

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