Niagara County man accused of raping 14-year-old girl

Content Warning: This story contains details of an alleged sexual assault.

BUFFALO, NY (WIVB) — A Niagara County man is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl and also faces a weapons charge, according to New York State Police.

Ronald A. Howard, 57, of South Dayton, is accused of exchanging indecent material with a child and then having sexual intercourse with the girl.

During a search on Monday, police said they found five handguns, two assault rifles – one of them with a silencer -, two assault rifle casings (all without serial numbers), several high-capacity magazines and two bulletproof vests.

Howard is accused of:

• Second degree rape
• second degree sexual act
• Distribution of indecent material of the first degree to minors
• Endangerment of the child’s welfare
• Second degree weapon possession
• criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree
• Registration and serialization of firearms, rifles, shotguns, finished frames or casings and unfinished frames or casings
• Manufacture, transport, distribution and damage of weapons and dangerous instruments and equipment
• Unauthorized purchase of body armor

Howard has been booked and is being held in the Niagara County Jail pending arraignment.