Greensburg man sentenced to up to 8 years in prison for sexual assault

A Greensburg man was sentenced to serve up to eight years in prison Tuesday for sexually assaulting a teen girl in 2015.

Daniel DeAugustine, 38, declined to make any statements but, through his defense lawyer, told Westmoreland County Judge Christopher Feliciani he would appeal the convictions handed down earlier this year following a three-day jury trial.

In February, DeAugustine was found guilty of five charges, including felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault. His accuser claimed that on two occasions, DeAugustine forced her to engage in sexual activity.

DeAugustine did not testify during his February trial or one that ended in a mistrial last year after jurors were unable to reach a verdict. Defense attorney Tim Andrews argued at both trials that DeAugustine’s accuser concocted the allegations.

The woman, now 20, said in court Tuesday she still struggles from the impact of the sexual assaults.

“I was a child, and I didn’t have a choice. I had to tell myself so many times that it wasn’t my fault,” she testified. “It’s been four years, but now I’ve just started to heal. I hope he gets the maximum sentence so I have more time to heal.”

DeAugustine could have received a maximum sentence of up to 23 years in prison. Feliciani imposed a mitigated prison sentence in which DeAugustine will serve four to eight years and an additional two years on probation. He will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

The judge said the sentence reflected pleas from DeAugustine’s family, his history of alcoholism and the fact that he had no prior criminal record.

DeAugustine’s wife, Amber, pleaded for leniency, saying their family has suffered since the initial allegations, which caused her to lose her business and her husband to lose his job. The criminal charges and other family issues plunged DeAugustine deeper into alcoholism and led to her filing for divorce, which she eventually withdrew after he became sober, she testified.

She told the judge their four children came to court Tuesday for support.

“He’s a good man, a good father,” she testified.