Manheim township man accused of public lewdness and stalking waives hearing — Jail Cell - File Photo

MANHEIM TWP., Pa. — A 56-year-old Manheim Township man charged with multiple counts of public indecency and stalking has waived his preliminary hearing and will face trial in county court, authorities said.

Robert Kendig Bard, of the 300 block of Apple Lane, waived his hearing on June 5 before Judge Jonathan Heisse. Bard is facing one count of stalking, four counts of indecent exposure, and six counts of open lewdness following a series of incidents in New Holland, Ephrata Township, and Lancaster City in 2024.

According to police, Bard was reported in June 2024 for allegedly following a woman and her 6-year-old child from a grocery store on South Tower Road. In a separate July 2024 incident, an eyewitness reported seeing a man matching Bard’s description watching another woman at a park on East Conestoga Street before following her.

Key Points

Robert Kendig Bard is charged with stalking, indecent exposure, and lewdness across multiple public locations
Police reports detail incidents involving following victims and public masturbation
Bard waived his preliminary hearing and is free on $25,000 bail

Bard was later discovered by police appearing to masturbate in a New Holland cemetery and, in another case, inside a gazebo at an Ephrata Township park. Paper towels discarded at the scene tested positive for semen at the Pennsylvania State Police Regional Laboratory.

Electronic surveillance also recorded Bard walking around partially nude and appearing to masturbate in a Lancaster city park on five separate dates from September through December 2024.

Bard is currently free on $25,000 bail pending further proceedings in county court.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.