Vandergrift man sentenced to prison for sex assaults of children

A Vandergrift man will serve at least 16 years in prison for the sexual assault of two children.

Timothy Johnson, 38, was convicted by a Westmoreland County jury in February in two separate cases in which he was convicted of 12 counts. Those included involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, conspiracy, indecent assault, child endangerment and corruption of minors against an 8-year-old girl and three additional charges of indecent assault and child endangerment of an older boy.

Prosecutors said Johnson molested the young girl for several years and had improper sexual contact with the then 13-year-old boy in September 2021. Police said DNA evidence linked Johnson to the sexual assault of his male victim.

The jury acquitted Johnson of nine other sexual assault charges related to allegations leveled by the two victims and a third child.

“I went through something kids should have not have to endure. You did wrong and disgusting things and it’s just sickening to the stomach,” said one of Johnson’s victims during Tuesday’s sentencing hearing. “I will watch myself grow up and be a strong and successful woman while you are behind bars.”

Johnson has refuted the allegations. He declined to speak during his sentencing hearing.

Common Pleas Court Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio ordered Johnson to serve 16 to 32 years in prison.

Assistant Public Defender Sarah Reeb suggested Johnson be sentenced in accordance with terms of a rejected plea bargain that called for him to serve 15 to 30 years in prison.

Reeb said the substantial number of acquittals in the jury’s verdict negated the prosecution’s call for a harsher penalty.

Assistant District Attorney Jim Lazar argued a lengthy prison sentence was warranted because of Johnson’s criminal record.

“There is no place in society for people like he has been all his life,” Lazar said.