Two teenage brothers painted a picture of an abusive, controlling man as they testified against him Wednesday at a preliminary hearing before District Justice James E. McMahon in Sharon.

The former Sharon boys talked in detail about the physical and sexual abuse they said was forced upon them for years by Dean Leroy Custer, 45, of 177 Logan Ave., Sharon. The man lived with their family.

The younger of the brothers, who is now 14, testified that Custer forced him to engage in sexual acts including oral and anal sex and masturbation from the time he was 5 years old. He said the abuse happened almost every night.

"I don't remember the first time he (Custer) ever did it," the boy said. "He also (physically) abused me, and I was afraid he would do that if I told anyone." The boy said Custer regularly hit and kicked him.

The boy said there were times when Custer took him to a trailer in Masury, where Custer showed him pornographic materials and abused him.

The abuse came to light after Custer kicked the boy -- who was 11 at the time -- and a school counselor saw bruises and called the nurse. School officials called the police, the boy said. He said in July 2000 Mercer County Children and Youth Service removed him from his home, and he has been in foster care since.

The older brother, now 19, said Custer began sexually abusing him when he was about 8 years old. He said the first incident he can remember was Custer coming to his room and making him remove his clothes and engage in sex acts.

The teen said Custer told him it was "natural" to do things like that with a "father figure ... He told me that's how I would have sex with a woman . . . He said he was teaching me that."

The older teen also said Custer threatened him with a shotgun if he told anyone about the physical abuse he inflicted upon the boys. In the past when his younger brother told school officials about the physical abuse and CYS called or visited the home, Custer would physically punish the boys, he said.

He said Custer also treated the boys differently than he treated their three younger siblings, who are Custer's children with their mother. He said he and his brother weren't allowed to have too many toys or clothes, and if relatives gave them things Custer destroyed them. He said at holidays the other children would get gifts but they wouldn't.

"He basically had control over our lives ... I was young. I didn't know. I really didn't understand," the older brother testified.

Earlier the younger brother said, "I guess I was brainwashed."

The older teen said he initially denied the sexual abuse when his younger brother reported it to school officials and police because he was embarrassed.

McMahon held to court charges of rape and two counts of voluntary deviate sexual intercourse against Custer. He was taken back to Mercer County Jail after failing to post $100,000 bond.

You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at:
kgarrett@sharonherald.com