Nathan Mitchell, left, walks into court Wednesday, Sept. 10 for a preliminary hearing. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

EVANS CITY — A Mars area sports official charged with indecent assault previously faced an accusation of child molestation while going by a different name as a California producer and talent manager, according to a state trooper’s testimony at a Wednesday, Sept. 10, preliminary hearing.

The 51-year-old Nathan Mitchell, who was formerly known as Joshua Werkman when he saw charges filed in California, was accused of inappropriate touching by three boys under age 13 in charges recently filed by Pennsylvania State Police and has four other Childline reports incriminating him, Trooper Amelia Russin said at the hearing held in front of District Judge Amy Marcinkiewicz.

The Adams Township man was affiliated with Mars Youth Football, where he is banned from all program activities, and he was placed on leave at the the Adams Area Fire District where he served as a firefighter and EMT and at Quality EMS where he served as an EMT.

“Anything that happened in another county or state is not relevant in this case,” said Mitchell’s defense attorney, Michael Zunder.

At the hearing, two boys — ages 10 and 11 — testified they would sleep over at Mitchell’s house one to three times per week during the summer beginning about four years ago to spend time with the Mitchell family. The sleepovers were less frequent during the school year, but the boys recalled awakening to the result of the inappropriate touching.

A third boy, 11, testified he slept at Mitchell’s house once and told his parents that Mitchell inappropriately touched his backside when he got home the next day.

According to a report by TMZ, Werkman was the manager of Dylan and Cole Sprouse.