Wednesday was the first day of trial for former Cumberland County Solid Waste Director, Michael Harvel.

His defense attorneys sought a mistrial.  However, the motion was denied.

Harvel was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2021 on ten counts. It accuses him of civil rights violations, including kidnapping and sexually assaulting women that he supervised while serving as solid waste director. According to the indictment, he supervised dozens of women who served their community service time or worked as paid employees. The indictment alleges that between 2015-2018, Harvel sexually assaulted eight women under his supervision. Specific allegations include that he kidnapped and sexually assaulted two women and forcibly raped one of them on two separate occasions.

Harvel’s defense stated that there was no forensic evidence and there were inconsistencies in the victim’s accusations and delayed claims meant surveillance footage had been destroyed before the investigation began. His defense attorney also said that several of the women had collected settlements from a civil lawsuit against the county.

Three women at Wednesday’s trial accused Harvel of sexual assault. The defense will call witnesses this week.

If convicted, Harvel faces up to life in prison.