Pa. fair worker jailed on molestation charge

UNIONTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A southwestern Pennsylvania county fair worker has been fired and jailed on charges that he molested a 9-year-old girl at a home where he had been staying.

Uniontown police say 50-year-old Richard Crossland molested the girl about 2 a.m. Monday after her mother took in the homeless man who had been working for Powers Great American Midways at the Fayette County Fair.

Carnival spokesman Ed Powers says his company didn’t do a background check on Crossland, who has a long record of drug, theft and arson charges — but no sex offenses — because he was a part-time worker who handed out carnival wristbands at the fair. Powers says the company does checks on its full-time employees.

Crossland remained jailed today on a charge of indecent assault.