Ex-Applewold councilman sentenced to 4 to 8 years for child sex assault

A former Applewold councilman and East Franklin fire chief convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old boy two years ago in Kittanning was sentenced Thursday to up to 8 years in prison.

Mark Alan Feeney, 56, will serve 4 to 8 years in state prison. Armstrong County Judge James Panchik ordered Feeney to serve two, concurrent four- to eight-year sentences, meaning the two sentences will be served at the same time, said defense attorney Marc Daffner.

At a jury trial in June, Panchik convicted Feeney of statutory sexual assault, indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of a minor.

Daffner said the defense has 10 days to file post-sentence motions with Panchik. If the judge rules against the motions, Feeney will appeal his conviction to the state Superior Court, Daffner said.

He said Feeney remains free on $150,000 bond.

Sentencing was delayed last month when Daffner alleged that a police officer may have improperly questioned a witness before the end of Feeney’s trial. Panchik ruled against that motion.

Police said the victim told them that he first met Feeney in 2016 at a Kittanning park. They became Facebook friends, had sexually explicit conversations and exchanged nude photos, according to police. Around Easter 2016, the victim told police he met Feeney at his Applewold home three times for sex.

Another man, David John Croyle, 61, of Kittanning, is scheduled to go to trial in January on separate charges of sexually assaulting the same boy.