A Gary’s man’s plea in a child molesting case includes a second victim who all lived with him in the same house, court records show.
Patrick “PJ” Comiskey Jr., 25, admitted to two counts of child molesting in August, both Level 3 felonies. Each charge carries a 3-16 year penalty.
His sentencing is reset for Nov. 15. Judge Gina Jones would have to review and accept the plea deal.
Charging documents filed in October 2020 detail how Comiskey — known as “Uncle PJ” — had been molesting the first victim, a girl, 7, between Aug. 1, 2020 and Oct. 19, 2020 in places like the basement or garage.
His plea agreement filed Aug. 8, 2023 added a second victim.
It accuses Comiskey of raping the second girl, then also around 7, knowing he was HIV-positive in both cases, court documents allege.
The second victim’s assaults happened between Sept. 3, 2019 and Oct. 20, 2020 in a bedroom or bathroom, according to court documents.
His plea was refiled Oct. 3 with minor corrections, according to court filings.
Police were called Oct. 19, 2020 to the 1300 block of Clark Road in Gary.
The first victim, then 7, told police Comiskey had been molesting her for two weeks.
A boy, 12, saw Comiskey with his hands down her pants in the basement. He hit Comiskey over the head with a “metal” bottle and chased him outside, according to an affidavit.
That day, Comiskey went to the basement as the girl was watching “Ant Farm.” He wrestled her with a blanket over them. It got uncovered just enough for the boy to see what was happening.
Comiskey’s relative said he knew of “suspicious” incidents with children, but no criminal charges had been filed.
Police arrested Comiskey walking in a hoodie near 25th Avenue and Clark Road.
“We were play wrestling,” he told the officers. “They took it the wrong way.”
The boy told police a half-dozen adults and a dozen children lived in the house. It was the first time he saw Comiskey molest the girl. The boy felt “very angry.”
When the girl went upstairs, Comiskey followed. The boy waited for a “good, clean hit” and smashed the bottle over the back of his head, the affidavit states.
