Man who posed as student charged in sex assault

HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Two charges have been dropped against a Ukranian man who posed as a high school student, but he will still face a charge of sexual assault.

Arthur Samarin, 22, is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl he attended classes with at Harrisburg High School in Pennsylvania.

Original report: Ukrainian who posed as high school student faces sex assault charge

A 23-year-old Ukrainian national who posed as a teen to attend a Pennsylvania high school was charged Friday with sexual assault over a relationship with a student.

He allegedly identified as Asher Potts when he enrolled in the high school while on a three-month work visa.

Fran Chardo, prosecutor for Dauphin County, says Samarin waived his right to a preliminary hearing on statutory sexual assault.

Since Samarin's attorney allegedly agreed the suspect would face the sexual assault charge to avoid a more serious charge, indecent deviate sexual intercourse.

"It's certainly a motivating factor for a lot of people to plead guilty to statutory sexual assault rather than have the IDSI charge hanging over their heads," says defense attorney Adam Klein.

Samarin remains in jail on a bail of $240,000.

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