Harris Township Supervisor and Boalsburg Mansion CEO Christopher G. Lee will face trial sometime later this year or early next year on charges of harassment, corruption of minors and indecent assault, a Centre County assistant district attorney said.

Lee, 56, was bound over for trial after his preliminary hearing Wednesday at the Centre County Courthouse, Assistant District Attorney Lance Marshall said. Lee was released without bail because of his community status and his past record.

If found guilty, he faces a five-year minimum jail sentence for the charges of corruption and indecent assault.

The charges stem from two separate incidents, one allegedly involving Lee and a 10-year-old boy, and one allegedly involving Lee and an 8-year-old boy.

The 10-year-old victim recounted an alleged June 3 incident at the preliminary hearing. He said he felt ill and after having tea with Lee, they both slept on a pullout sofa, according to court documents. He said Lee then suggested the boy remove his pajamas because of the heat.

According to court documents, the 10-year-old said Lee started rubbing his body, and he tried to "inch away from him." The boy said the touching escalated when Lee tried to remove the boy's pajama bottoms, and each time the 10-year-old said he would stop Lee. The boy said he fell into a restless sleep and woke up to feel Lee's hand touching his genital area, according to a criminal complaint.

Joseph Amendola, Lee's attorney, said the boy has bedwetting problems and was wearing a diaper. He said Lee was concerned and checked the diaper. "We think that is what the child misconstrued as touching," Amendola said. "Lee did not have the intent to do anything sexual."

The other incident in question involved the 8-year-old boy, the other boy's younger brother.

The 8-year-old told police Lee would try to stick his hands down his pants sometimes when they were wrestling or tickling each other, according to court documents.

Amendola said during the particular incident the boy remembers, his mother and brother were present in the room, and Lee did not intend anything of a sexual nature.

At Wednesday's preliminary hearing, District Justice Allen Sinclair dismissed a third incident and additional related charges because he said the defendant's actions were not worthy of charges, Marshall said.

Lee had been accused of sticking his two fingers into the 10-year-old boy's mouth while they were wrestling one day, according to court documents. Sinclair threw out one count of harassment, corruption of minors and indecent assault because he said that did not qualify as indecent assault, Marshall said.

Amendola said he expects Lee will take the stand in his defense. "Obviously, he is devastated and dismayed by the accusations; they have already damaged and tainted his reputation," he said. "All he can do now is defend himself."

Amendola added that Lee will not step down from his positions in the community, and there are various pretrial motions regarding lack of evidence and relevant evidence that will be submitted before the trial date.

Marshall said although the charges are misdemeanors, they are very serious. He said he will call the two boys and various police officers to testify, among other witnesses.

The pretrial conference is scheduled for Nov. 15. Jury selection will be Dec. 3 or 4.