North Huntingdon mom opposes sentence in Westmoreland child corruption plea

The mother of a North Huntingdon girl who was sent sexually explicit photographs told a Westmoreland County judge she didn’t approve of the five-year probation sentence imposed.

Tyler James Heck, 20, of Danville, Perry County, pleaded guilty to one felony charge of corruption of minors in a deal approved by Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio. Prosecutors dismissed felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor and a misdemeanor corruption of minors offense.

In addition to probation, Heck was ordered to undergo sex offender’s treatment and was barred from using the internet for five years.

“I believe something else should be done,” the girl’s mother testified. “I feel he should be put in jail and learn his lesson that way.”

According to court records, police claimed the girl started communicating with Heck through social media and told him she was 12 but looked older than her profile picture. Police said Heck and the girl exchanged sexually explicit photographs in late December and in early January.

When questioned by police, Heck claimed he and the girl had been dating but that they had never met in person.

In court on Friday, Heck claimed he was sexually abused as a child and apologized for his actions in this case.

“I just want to say I’m sorry and realize that after finding out what happened, I realized what I did was wrong,” Heck said.