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ALPENA -- Two girls on Monday testified in Alpena's 88th District Court that Alpena man Johnathan Beatty sexually assaulted them some years ago.
One girl, now a teenager, said Beatty, now 38, touched her inappropriately multiple times at the home of a mutual acquaintance beginning when she was in fourth or fifth grade.
The abuse lasted for several years, the girl said.
The News does not identify survivors of sexual assault without their permission.
The girl said she told an adult about the alleged abuse when she heard allegations concerning Beatty and another girl.
A second girl testified Beatty forced her to touch him inappropriately at least one time several years ago, when she was between 5 and 7 years old. She said he also showed her videos of "children doing stuff that was not OK," the girl said.
Judge Alan Curtis said the witnesses offered enough evidence for Beatty's case to continue toward trial.
Beatty faces charges of first-degree sexual assault, accosting a minor for immoral purposes, and possession of a firearm by a felon, that charge related to two guns police say they found in Beatty's bedroom.
Beatty will be arraigned in Alpena's 26th Circuit Court in coming weeks.
Julie Riddle can be reached at 989-358-5693, jriddle@thealpenanews.com or on Twitter @jriddleX.