UPDATE: Beaver Township man faces multiple child rape charges

NORTH LIMA

A Beaver Township man is facing charges of rape and gross sexual imposition relating to minors who were ages 4 and 5 when the abuse was alleged to have occurred, police said.

William Adair, 54, engaged in sexual acts with two sisters over a period of about two years at his Beaver Township residence, police said. The girls are now ages 11 and 12 and live-out-of state.

Lt. Eric Dattilo said the girls' mother notified Beaver Township police of  the allegations in February and agencies in the girls' current home state worked with Beaver Township, took statements from the victims and then turned over evidence to Beaver Township. Dattilo said the girls reported inappropriate touching alleged to have happened in Adair's bedroom while he was babysitting them.

Adair faces four counts of rape and five counts of gross sexual imposition. If convicted, he could face life in prison. He was arraigned Tuesday and is scheduled for a pretrial hearing Sept. 4 before Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court.