SMETHPORT — A former Beacon Light employee who was accused of having a relationship with resident there during his employment will serve a term in state prison.
Brian M. McLaughlin, 29, was sentenced Thursday in McKean County Court to nine to 23 ½ months of incarceration for charges in two separate but related cases — both had to do with a romantic relationship with a 16-year-old girl.
Coupled with a six to 24 ½ month term of incarceration for being revoked on a previous DUI sentence, the aggregate sentence McLaughlin received Thursday is 15 months to four years.
McLaughlin has 320 days credit total for all three cases.
According to District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer, McLaughlin is considered a Tier 2 sex offender and “is required to register as a sex offender for 25 years.” He was not deemed to be a sexually violent predator.
On May 4, McLaughlin pleaded guilty to allegations that on Oct. 16, kissed a residential client of Beacon Light — who was a minor — on the mouth, neck and breast area while he was employed there; then, on Oct. 24, McLaughlin took a committed person away from custody. Though he was still working for Beacon Light at the time, he was not acting as part of his employment.
McLaughlin had pleaded guilty in one case to institutional sexual assault and unlawful contact with a minor and in the second case to interfering with the custody of a committed person.
On Thursday, McLaughlin’s attorney, Casey Graffius, provided Pavlock with a letter that McLaughlin wrote. Also, McLaughlin made an oral statement.
“I’d just like to further apologize to the victim if I harmed her in any way,” McLaughlin said.
“If?” Pavlock chimed in.
McLaughlin also apologized to Beacon Light.
During his own comments, Pavlock said, “There a lot of good things in this letter,” but he added there are “other things that fit in with the concerns” he has.
In the letter, McLaughlin outlined the path that brought him to where he is today, which included leaving a construction job and struggling with addiction before obtaining employment at Beacon Light.
Pavlock explained that McLaughlin was using narcotics while he was employed at the organization, noting, “You were in a position of trust.”
