Westmoreland jury convicts Mt. Pleasant man of rape

A Mt. Pleasant man has been convicted of the rape and sexual assault of two girls.

Westmoreland County jurors found Kenneth R. Daniels II, 42, guilty of 10 counts including felony charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault.

Prosecutors dismissed one sex-related charge during the trial, which wrapped up Wednesday.

Daniels was charged in 2019 after two girls claimed they were victims of sexual assault from 2014 to 2017.

One accuser, now 21, testified during the trial that she was 13 when Daniels forced her to have sex and that he continued to assault her as many as 60 times over the next several years.

Another girl claimed Daniels attempted to have sex with her when she was 9 years old.

Daniels maintained his innocence but did not testify during the two-day trial, according to defense attorney Ken Noga.

Noga told jurors that Daniels’ accusers could not be believed.

Daniels had been free on bail before the trial.

Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Mears revoked Daniels’ bond after the verdict was announced. Daniels will remain behind bars until he is sentenced in about three months.

Prosecutors said Daniels could be sentenced to serve up to 40 years in prison for the rape and could receive consecutive sentences for each victim.