Monessen man to serve prison sentence for sexual assault of child

A Monessen man will serve up to seven years in prison for the sexual assault of a 7-year-old girl.

Damien R. Bryan, 21, was convicted by a Westmoreland County jury in July of two felony charges of indecent assault of a person under age 13, corruption of minors and one misdemeanor offense of indecent assault.

Police said Bryan had repeated sexual contact with a young girl over a five-day period between Christmas and Dec. 30, 2019. According to court records, police said the girl was sexually assaulted by Bryan as many as 10 times.

In court on Wednesday, Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Feliciani sentenced Bryan to serve 1-to-7 years in prison and an additional seven years on probation. As part of the sentence Bryan was ordered to register as a convicted sex offender for the rest of his life.

The sentence was the same penalty recommended by Assistant District Attorney Adam Barr.

“This isn’t about rehabilitation. This isn’t about this defendant,” Barr said. “It’s about that 7-year-old.”

Bryan did not speak during Wednesday’s sentencing hearing.

Assistant Public Defender Jennifer DeFlitch argued that Bryan, who has no prior criminal record and committed no crimes while free on $50,000 bail following his trial, should serve a long probation sentence rather than be incarcerated.

“Mr. Bryan maintains his innocence. That’s why he went to trial, but he accepts the verdict,” DeFlitch said.

Bryan was given credit for two weeks he served in jail following his arrest in early 2020 and was taken into custody on Wednesday to begin serving his sentence.