By RANDY BARTLEY
Staff writer
A Strattanville man Oct. 7 entered a guilty plea to two counts relating to a case involving a young girl.
Ricky Glenn Wright, 33, was initially charged with rape of a child, a first-degree felony; statutory sexual assault of a child 11 years or older, a first-degree felony; involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, a first-degree felony; sexual assault, a second-degree felony; aggravated indecent assault with a person less than 13 years of age, a second-degree felony; corruption of minors when the defendant is 18 years of age or above, a third-degree felony; indecent assault on a person less than 13 years of age, a first-degree misdemeanor; and endangering the welfare of children when the parent, guardian or other commits the offense, a first-degree misdemeanor.
According to the criminal complaint filed by Clarion state police, a known young girl on June 3 participated in a forensic interview at Western PA Cares for Kids and disclosed being physically and sexually accosted by Wright.
The victim utilized anatomically correct dolls and pictures to accurately portray Wright’s actions, the complaint said.
The victim, the complaint said, was subjected to unwanted physical touching by Wright, as well as sexual assault multiple times between April 24 and May 12, 2019, in a Clarion Township residence.
The complaint said Wright participated in an interview, during which time he denied allegations of abuse toward the victim.
Wright entered a guilty plea to charges of indecent exposure and corruption of minors. Judge Sarah Seidle-Patton sentenced Wright to serve three months in the Clarion County Jail and five years on probation. The judge said she had given the case a “lot of consideration.”
The cause of Seidle-Patton’s concern was three impact statements submitted by the victim, the victim’s mother and the victim’s grandmother. Those statements were delivered to the District Attorney’s Office the evening before Wright was to have been sentenced two weeks ago.
On Wednesday, Clarion County District Attorney Drew Welsh said the plea agreement was to avoid a jury trial, during which the victim could have been called to testify.
During the sentencing on Wednesday, the victim’s grandmother said the victim was “not sure who she was” and “was confused about her own sexuality.”
Welsh said he had spoken with both the mother and grandmother, and they had agreed the plea bargain was best for the victim.
“This is a terrible situation,” Welsh said. “I am not happy with this resolution, but I ask the court to accept the plea bargain.”
Clarion County public defender Jacob Roberts asked for probation for his client, citing Wright’s lack of a previous record and a custody battle for his two biological sons.
Seidle-Patton said “this was not an easy case” and that Wright’s actions had “impacted the victim and the community.”
“There are serious accusations, but you are not pleading to those,” she said. “I will accept the plea.”
Wright was remanded to the Clarion County Jail to begin his sentence.