Youth Violence Town Hall January 7, 2016.
The panelists.
Asher Potts, student at Harrisburg High.
Circumstances, please remember this word, circumstances.
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As released by the Harrisburg Bureau of Police February 26, 2016
Case Number: 15-12-11-102-001 / 16-0226-102-002
On 12/11/15, the Harrisburg Police received a complaint of a student that was attending John Harris High School. In the complaint the individual alleged that “Asher Potts”, identified as Artur Samarin, was an adult attending the school, in the United States illegally, and was having sexual relationships with female students.
Through the investigation it was determined that Samarin arrived in the US on a 3 month J1 Exchange Visitor Visa from June to September. He was working for a local company during that time. After the Visa expired, he applied and was granted B2 Tourist Visa. The B2 Visa expired on 3/1/2013.
Although Samarin did graduate high school and attend two years of college in the Ukraine, Samarin was able to enroll as a freshman at John Harris High School with falsified documents. One of the documents was a social security card that was ultimately approved after multiple attempts at several Social Security Administration offices. Samarin did attend John Harris High School from the fall of 2012 until recently. He was also a student of the Harrisburg University.
On 2/23/16 at 1515 hours, Samarin was arrested by the Harrisburg police for Identity Theft, Theft by Unlawful Taking, and Tampering with Public Records. He was placed in Dauphin County Prison on $20,000 bail.
On 2/26/15 Samarin was arrested while in prison for Statutory Sexual Assault and Corruption of Minors for his sexual relationship with a 15 year old student in 2014. Samarin was 22 years old when this took place. At the time of this release, Samarin has not been arraigned on these charges.
Additional arrests are expected.
This investigation is still ongoing involving the U.S. Department of State, FBI, the Ukrainian Embassy, and Immigration and customs.
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Video from Harrisburg Channel 20 WHBG20