Lewis Run man charged with conspiracy to retaliate against a victim/witness
A Lewis Run man is charged with conspiring to retaliate against a witness who testified in a prior child sexual-abuse case, including alleged plans to contact the witness’s employer and post damaging material online.
(McKean County, Pennsylvania: March 20, 2026) District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer says Peter Ross is charged with two counts of Conspiracy Retaliation and Conspiracy Criminal Use of a Communication Facility for allegedly plotting with Ray Coast to retaliate against a victim who testified against Coast in a prior hearing involving rape and sexual abuse of a child. Prosecutors allege Ross and Coast planned to contact the victim’s employer and post anonymous social media material to try to get the victim fired and otherwise discredit him; Ross is accused of sending materials to the employer and contacting another person in furtherance of the plot. Ross was arraigned before Magisterial District Judge William Todd, who set bail at $150,000; Coast remains jailed after failing to post $3 million bail on his separate case alleging hundreds of counts of rape, child sexual abuse (child pornography) and stalking. All persons charged are presumed innocent.