Judge sentences former East Huntingdon man for 'unfathomable' crime against child

A former East Huntingdon man was ordered to serve up to seven years in prison on Monday for a crime that a Westmoreland County judge called “unfathomable.”

Scott Rys, 49, pleaded guilty to felony counts of indecent assault, corruption of a minor and child endangerment in connection with allegations that he had improper sexual contact with a 9-year-old boy over an 18-month period ending in December 2017.

“The charges in this case are highly disturbing. Had you been convicted in front of a jury and put the victim through the process of testifying, we would have been looking at a very serious sentence,” said Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears. “To take advantage of a child … is almost unfathomable to me.”

Mears imposed terms of a plea bargain negotiated with prosecutors that requires Rys to serve two to seven years in prison and an additional 13 years on probation.

The judge also ordered Rys have no unsupervised contact with minors, and he must register as a convicted sex offender for the rest of his life.

As a condition of the plea deal, prosecutors dismissed three counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, the most serious allegations against Rys.

“In consultation with the victim, Mr. Rys’ admission of guilt today ensures felony convictions resulting in a state prison sentence and a lifetime registration as a sex offender without having to further traumatize the victim in testifying before a jury,” according to a statement released by District Attorney Nicole Ziccarelli.

Rys will remain free on a $40,000 bond and was ordered to begin serving his sentence Dec. 12.