Unity man receives up to 45 years in prison for sexual assaults of 2 children

Steven M. Cope Jr. told a Westmoreland County judge this week that all he wanted was a chance to be a constructive member of society.

The judge ruled that will have wait for at least 22½ years.

Cope, 26, of Unity was sentenced to serve up to 45 years in prison for the sexual assaults against two children in 2018.

Cope was convicted of 10 charges, including counts of rape of a child and multiple charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault, during a trial last April in which prosecutors described him as a serial child molester who had improper sexual contact with two minors, ages 10 and 5.

Prosecutors claim Cope attempted to exchange money and cigarettes for sex with his older victim and fondled a younger child.

Cope did not testify during his trial. He also declined to address the any circumstances of his case during a brief statement to the judge in court Monday.

“He continues to maintain his innocence,” said assistant public defender James Spriestersbach.

The defense attorney argued that Cope’s conviction should be immediately overturned, claiming that key prosecution witnesses at trial were not to be believed and that parents of Cope’s accusers coached their children to make up the allegations.

Jurors heard four days of testimony during the trial and returned the guilty verdict against Cope after just one hour of deliberations.

Common Pleas Judge Tim Krieger, who oversaw the trial, rejected the defense request and said there was sufficient evidence to support the jury’s guilty verdicts.

Krieger imposed a 10- to 20-year prison sentence for the rape of one of the children and a consecutive 10- to 20-year sentence for the involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of the other minor. The judge also imposed five consecutive six- to 12-month sentences and ordered Cope to serve another three years on probation once he is released from prison.

“To say I was puzzled by your behavior was an understatement to say the least,” Krieger said. “Some part of you believes this is just how it is. I think the jury reached an understandable conclusion.”