SMETHPORT — A Kane man will serve a term in state prison for allegations that he had indecent contact with a 17-year-old girl.
Robert E. Hammond, 61, was sentenced Thursday in McKean County Court to four to eight years of incarceration with credit for 16 days of time served. He pleaded guilty June 1 to one charge of aggravated indecent assault without consent.
The day Hammond entered his plea, District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer explained that between Jan. 21-22 in Kane, he sexually molested 17-year-old girl without her consent. It was this information to which he pleaded guilty.
“The defendant deserves every day of this sentence,” President Judge John Pavlock said on Thursday.
Pavlock explained that this was Hammond’s third conviction for similar charges. He added that Hammond received the opportunity to address his issues after the first conviction but failed to do so.
Also as part of his sentence, Hammond may not have any contact with the victim or any unsupervised contact with any minors, male or female, including his biological children. He must also have an updated mental health evaluation that includes sex offender treatment.
Hammond’s attorney, Robert Kinnear, noted that sexually violent predator status for Hammond has been dismissed.
Pavlock explained earlier in November at a court appearance for a different defendant that the method for SVP proceedings was deemed unconstitutional in a recent Butler County case and indicated that no such proceedings would be able to forward unless the legislature makes changes.
Hammond must register for his lifetime as a sex offender.
