Connellsville man sentenced to 40 years in prison for rape of child
A Connellsville man was ordered Monday to serve up to 40 years in prison for the rape of a child that a Westmoreland County judge described as “one of the worst cases of a sexual nature that I’ve seen.”
Shawn Tracy Melville, 44, pleaded guilty in October to eight offenses in connection with a series of sexual assaults against a 12-year-old Derry Borough girl in 2014 that resulted in her giving birth to his child a year later.
“This is beyond comprehension,” Common Pleas Judge Christopher Feliciani said Monday during Melville’s sentencing hearing.
According to court records, police were alerted to a potential rape in 2014, but the accuser and her mother refused to cooperate with the investigation. The prosecution renewed the probe in March 2018 after the accuser’s biological father confirmed his daughter had given birth to Melville’s child.
The girl eventually told investigators Melville drugged and raped her at least 10 times in 2013. Prosecutors said DNA tests indicated it was 99.9% likely Melville is the father of the child.
Melville pleaded guilty last year to rape of a child, statutory sexual assault, indecent assault of a child, child endangerment and corruption of a minor.
“The child was so emotional and traumatized, she could not be here today,” Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Dupilka said.
The judge ordered Melville to serve 18 to 36 years in prison for the rape count and an additional 2 to 4 years behind bars for statutory sexual assault.
Defense attorney James Robinson argued for a lighter sentencing, saying Melville had no prior criminal record and, at the time of his arrest, was working toward a degree in theology and planned to continue with those studies through online courses.
At one point during the sentencing hearing, Melville drew the judge’s ire when he suggested his victim was partially to blame for the sexual assaults and later attempted to recant those comments.
“I was drinking, and I don’t remember any of this happening,” Melville said.
Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
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