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Man freed by Innocence Project now facing child sex assault charges

MCKEES ROCKS, Pa. — A man recently granted a new trial after serving 27 years in prison on a rape conviction was arrested Thursday on new charges that he sexually assaulted a 6-year-old girl known to the family in McKees Rocks.

The assault allegedly happened the same night John Kunco was released from jail, according to our partners at the Trib.

According to the criminal complaint, the girl, referred to as Jane Doe, said the following during an interview with police:

During the interview Doe was asked if there are places on a female that people shouldn't see or touch and she said, "Yes, their privates." Doe was asked if anyone had ever seen her privates, and she said, "Yes."

The child went on to say that she awoke to Kunco assaulting her and that she asked him to stop but he didn't, according to the complaint.

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Kunco was found guilty of rape and other charges for a 1990 attack on a woman in her New Kensington home. He was sentenced to serve 45 to 90 years in prison.

The Innocence Project took on his case, and new DNA evidence convinced a judge to grant Kunco a new trial. He was released from jail in May.

He is now being held without bail in the Allegheny County Jail on the new charges and is awaiting a preliminary hearing later this month.

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Kunco is charged with numerous counts of crimes against a child, according to Allegheny County police.

A team of attorneys from the Innocence Project said Kunco voluntarily turned himself into police and denies the new allegations.

Karen Thompson, senior attorney with the Innocence Project, released the following statement:

Mr. Kunco denies these allegations and has, and will continue to, fully cooperate with the police.  These allegations have absolutely no relation to Mr. Kunco's 1991 conviction that was recently vacated based on DNA and other evidence proving his innocence.