Preliminary hearings

• BELLEFONTE -- A 21-year-old University student, Jeremy R. Gatto, was ordered yesterday by District Justice Carmine W. Prestia to stand trial for charges of rape, sexual assault, simple assault, terroristic threats, unlawful restraint, harassment and criminal attempt at involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, according to court documents.
  

  In an incident during the first week in November, the defendant allegedly put his victim down on a bed and forced her to comply with his sexual requests, then hit her in the buttocks and legs, according to the court documents.
  

  In the beginning of December, the defendant allegedly tied the victim to the bed with a belt, poured hot wax on the victim's neck, allowing the wax to flow all the way down her chest and then forced the victim to engage in sexual intercourse with him, according to court documents. Witnesses told police prior to the hearing they observed bruises on the victim's body.
  

• A 31-year-old Bellefonte resident, William Ray Wolfe, was ordered yesterday by Prestia to stand trial for charges of simple assault as well as harassment and stalking, according to court documents.
  

  The victim reported to police she was abused by the defendant after a verbal argument, which escalated into a physical confrontation, according to the documents. A police officer reported there was a red mark on her neck and a bruise behind her ear, according to the documents.
  

• A 30-year-old Pleasant Gap resident, Benjamin Norris, was ordered yesterday by Prestia to stand trial for charges of endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, indecent assault and aggravated indecent assault, according to the documents.
  

  The victim's father called the Spring Township police to report that his 8-year-old said she had been sexually assaulted by the defendant, according to court documents.
  

• A 35-year-old Boalsburg resident, Shane A. Dawson, was ordered yesterday by District Justice Bradley P. Lunsford to stand trial for charges of aggravated assault, simple assault and terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person and harassment and stalking, according to court documents. He was also ordered to stand trial for an additional charge of interception, disclosure, wire, electronic or oral communications.
  

  Feb. 20, after a police officer stopped a vehicle for speeding, the officer noticed the female operator was crying hysterically, according to documents. The victim said she had been assaulted by her husband, Dawson, and was trying to move to a safe location, according to the documents.
  

  Dawson allegedly hit the victim on the head with a tape recorder after playing tapes revealing a conversation between the victim and the victim's sister, discussing the victim's relationship with another man, according to the documents.
  

  The defendant then allegedly grabbed the victim by her hair and began hitting her and throwing beer cans at her; he also attempted to suffocate her and showed her a loaded rifle, according to court documents.
  

• A 33-year-old resident of State College, Cortland O. Dugger, was ordered yesterday by Lunsford to stand trial for charges of retaliation against a witness or victim, terroristic threats and harassment and stalking, according to the documents.
  

• A 24-year-old Bellefonte resident, Todd Rae Tarselli, was ordered yesterday by District Justice Daniel Hoffman to stand trial for charges of criminal attempt to escape and weapons and implements for escape, according to the documents. Tarselli, an inmate at the State Correctional Institution at Rockview, who was incarcerated for murder, was noticed missing from his cell Nov. 23 by guards, according to the documents. The defendant was not found after extensive searches and was reported escaped, according to the documents.
  

  He was found hiding behind a religious altar with supplies such as homemade soups, clothing, bandages and other articles, according to court documents.
  

• A 20-year-old Bellefonte resident, Richard Allen Ewing, was ordered yesterday by Prestia to stand trial for charges of aggravated assault, criminal mischief, driving under the influence, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, purchase, consumption or transportation of liquor or malt brewed beverages, stop signs and yield signs, traffic control signals and reckless driving, according to court documents.
  

• A 25-year-old resident of Lanham, Maryland, Melanie Louise Stibick, was ordered yesterday by Prestia to stand trial for charges of aggravated assault, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer in a vehicle, disorderly conduct and obedience to traffic-control devices, according to the documents.