Accuser says 2-year minimum sentence not justice for sexual assault

A Penn Township woman told a Westmoreland County judge on Monday that the two-year minimum sentence for the man who sexually assaulted her while her young child was in another room in her home wasn’t long enough.

“A two-year sentence for what he has done is not justice. My life has been turned around for four years now, and he is only getting two to five years,” the woman, 29, testified during Khachek A. Hamerski’s sentencing hearing.

Hamerski, 29, of Derry Township, pleaded guilty in October to the sexual assaults of two women.

The sentence imposed by Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio was the result of a plea deal approved last fall. In addition to the prison time, Hamerski was ordered to serve an additional five years on probation.

Police said Hamerski sexually assaulted the Penn Township woman in June 2018. Three months later, another woman said Hamerski sexually assaulted her in Ligonier.

Hamerski pleaded guilty to charges of strangulation and indecent assault in connection with the allegations made by the Penn Township woman. One count of attempted rape was dismissed.

He pleaded guilty to aggravated indecent assault and strangulation in the case involving the Ligonier woman. More serious counts of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and other charges were dismissed.

Prosecutors sought to rescind the guilty plea this year in response to claims Hamerski was named as a suspect in the sexual assault of a woman in Florida while he was free on bail as he awaited sentencing in the local cases.

Bilik-DeFazio said state law prevented her from invalidating Hamerski’s plea bargain, since it was formally approved months ago.

Assistant District Attorney Theresa Miller-Sporrer said, as of Monday, Florida police have not charged Hamerski.

According to court records, Florida police are investigating claims from a woman who said she met Hamerski on a flight from Florida and whom he traveled south to meet during the first week of January. Court documents filed this year include a claim Hamerski held the woman captive for days and repeatedly sexually assaulted her.

Hamerski was jailed in January after two $25,000 bonds in the Westmoreland County cases were revoked following disclosure of the Florida investigation.