A Westmoreland County judge denied the appeal of a Youngwood man who is serving up to 17 years in prison for the sexual assaults of two teenage girls in 2016.

Darell Deisean Walker, 23, was convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault and related offenses following a three-day trial in April in which prosecutors contended he had improper sexual relations with a 13-year old runaway and a 14-year-old girl he met through social media.

In July, Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani sentenced Walker to serve 8 1/2 to 17 years in prison and five years on probation.

Feliciani this week rejected an appeal from Walker, who claimed there was insufficient evidence presented against him at trial and that his case should have been dismissed because it took too long for his trial to be convened.

In a 17-page opinion the judge wrote that evidence of the sex acts between Walker and the two teens was largely undisputed and that Walker’s defense that he believed both girls were at least 18 was not viable at trial.

Feliciani also ruled that, because Walker had been jailed for more than six months before his trial, he might have been allowed a reduced bond but was not entitled to dismissal of his charges.

“Although Mr. Walker may have been released on nominal bond for the two 2016 cases, it is the opinion of this court that, based upon the allegations as set forth in the criminal complaints, Mr. Walker would have posed a threat to the safety of the community had he been released,” the judge wrote.

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