Manassas businessman faces more child sex charges

MANASSAS, Va. --Police say another man has come forward accusing a prominent Manassas businessman of sexually assaulting him while he was a minor, bringing the total number of accusers to three.

The 20-year-old told police that 62-year-old Richard Dennis “Dick” Singer of Gainesville began sexually assaulting him when he was 11 years old. He reported that the assaults took place over the course of four years, all of them in Prince William County, said police spokeswoman Erika Hernandez.

The new allegations follow charges filed in September. Police said two 17-year-old boys told detectives Singer began assaulting them when they were both 10 years old. Police said those assaults also happened in Prince William, but did not say how many times the victims were assaulted, or over what period of time the assaults took place.

Police placed additional charges against Singer in December, including four new counts of aggravated sexual battery and four counts of taking indecent liberties with a minor — all in addition to the aggravated sexual battery, forcible battery and taking indecent liberties with a minor charges that were filed in September.

Singer could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Singer was jailed on the initial charges, and then released on bond. He was arrested again on the new charges Christmas eve, and was released from jail on $80,000 bond Dec. 29.

“These charges are completely devastating, and took all of us completely by surprise,” said Singer Equipment co-owner Sidra Seeley. “We are doing everything that we can to combat these false charges, and appreciate the support we have received from our generous customers that we have developed relationships with over the years.”

The accusers are children of family members related to Singer by marriage, Seeley said.

The latest reported victim was away at college in September when the first two victims came forward to police, making him unavailable to investigators, said Hernandez.

Several calls to Singer’s lawyer were not returned for this story.

Singer is president of Manassas-based Singer and Associates, which provides fire and rescue apparatus, fire and rescue equipment and equipment to local law enforcement agencies. In Virginia, the company has provided equipment to fire and rescue organizations, including Prince William, Fairfax, Loudoun, Arlington, Spotsylvania and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

In the past nine years Prince William County spent $1.4 million with company, purchasing fire and rescue vehicles, fire hoses, nozzles, protective clothing and fire suppression foam, among other items, according to county documents.

The county in the past has also hired the company to maintain their fire and rescue vehicles, a department spokeswoman said in November.

Staff writer Uriah A. Kiser can be reached at 703-878-8065.