AVOCA, Pa. -- An 18-year-old man is facing a slew of felony charges in Luzerne County, accused of having inappropriate sexual contact with minors.
Austin Quick of Avoca remained silent as he was walked into the West Pittston Municipal Building to be arraigned on a slew of felony charges on Wednesday.
Avoca police accuse Quick of having inappropriate sexual contact with three boys, all under the age of 13 from June of 2017 until January of 2018.
At a beauty salon in Quick's hometown of Avoca, worker Karen Neary was shocked to hear the news.
"That's terrible to hear," Neary asked the other employees. “I don't know what to say. You got to hide your kids anymore.”
Investigators say the sexual contact took place in one of the victims' bedrooms in the borough, with all three victims present during those times.
Court paperwork shows the victims told police Quick would perform sex acts on them, have them perform sex acts on him, and perform sex acts on each other.
The abuse also took place in wooded areas in Avoca when Quick and the boys would ride their bikes on trails.
“I've never heard of anything happing in the area, other than this,” said Neary. “I saw the police out the door earlier and we were wondering what. Nothing ever happens around here and to just hear this news, I’m just shocked, shocked.”
“I am shocked,” said Pat Matthews, who lives across the street from Quick. She had nothing but good things to say about Quick.
“All this time with the snow, he always out there shoveling,” said Matthews. “That's all I've seen of him, but usually if I come out we wave to each other, you know.”
Quick was given $150,000 straight bail. He is locked up in the Luzerne County jail.