NORWICH – The Chenango County grand jury met Wednesday and handed up a number of criminal indictments. At the proceeding, the Chenango County District Attorney’s Office presents evidence against those they wish to prosecute. It is up to the jury to decide if there is enough reasonable cause to charge a person with a felony offense.

Those indicted by the grand jury are arraigned before the county or Supreme Court judge at a later date.

The grand jury indicted 14 individuals:

• Joseph A. Baxter Jr., 21, Afton, was indicted on charges of first degree criminal sexual act, a class B felony, second degree assault, a class D felony, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, a class A misdemeanor.

The criminal sexual act charge, as well as one count of endangering, stem from an alleged incident that occurred in the summer of 2011 in the Town of Coventry. Baxter is accused of engaging in a criminal sexual act with a youth under the age of 13. The assault and second endangering charges stem from an alleged incident that took place in February of 2012 in the Town of Afton. It’s alleged that Baxter, in concert with another individual and with intent to cause physical injury, did do so by means of a deadly weapon or instrument.