Jeannette man to serve 20-year prison sentence for rape of a child

A Jeannette man will serve up to 20 years in prison for raping a child.

Ronald Lee Rice, 61, pleaded guilty Tuesday to felony charges of rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse in connection with claims made by a teenage girl who told police she was repeatedly sexually assaulted for eight years.

According to court records, Rice’s accuser said the assaults started in 2011, when she was 5 and lived in Washington Township. The assaults continued after her family moved to Jeannette and took place when her parents were not home and she was in Rice’s care, according to police.

Police said the girl claimed Rice threatened her with violence to keep her from disclosing the alleged assaults but she eventually came forward in 2019.

As part of the plea bargain approved by Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears, prosecutors dismissed seven felony charges including additional counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, corruption of minors and child endangerment. One misdemeanor simple assault charge also was dismissed.

Mears sentenced Rice to serve six to 20 years in prison and he must register as a convicted sex offender for the rest of his life.