A Frailey Township man faces state prison time and Megan's Law sanctions after admitting Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that prosecutors could prove he sexually molested a child last December.
Kenneth L. Brown, 48, of Donaldson, pleaded no contest before Judge Cyrus Palmer Dolbin to charges of aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors, with prosecutors withdrawing two additional counts of aggravated indecent assault, two counts of indecent assault and one of endangering the welfare of children.
Dolbin did not immediately sentence Brown, instead ordering that the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board evaluate him to help determine whether he is a sexually violent predator.
Dolbin would not initially accept Brown's plea, but did so after Assistant Public Defender Lora J. McDonald, the defendant's lawyer, conferred with her client and said he understood what he was doing.
By pleading no contest, Brown did not admit committing the crimes, but offered no defense to them, admitted prosecutors had enough evidence to prove him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt and agreed to be sentenced as if he had pleaded or been found guilty.
State police at Schuylkill Haven filed the charges against Brown, alleging he assaulted the child, a 10-year-old girl, on Dec. 23, 2012.
Assistant District Attorney Thomas J. "Tim" Pellish, said the crimes resulted from a single incident instead of a series of them.
Brown left the courtroom without making any further comment on the case. He is free on $25,000 straight cash bail pending sentencing.
Even if Dolbin does not determine Brown to be a sexually violent predator, the defendant still will be subject to lifetime Megan's Law sanctions because of his plea to aggravated indecent assault.
The Megan's Law sanctions to which Brown will be subject include requirements that he report his address, employment and educational statuses, and any change in them, to state police for life after he leaves prison. Any failure to comply with those sanctions is a crime in itself and could result in further prosecution.
Megan's Law was enacted in Pennsylvania, numerous other states and at the federal level following the 1994 murder of Megan Nicole Kanka, 7, of Hamilton Township, Mercer County, N.J. Jesse Timmendequas, Kanka's killer, was a convicted sex offender and one of the girl's neighbors.
He is serving a life sentence following then-New Jersey Gov. Jon S. Corzine's commutation of his death sentence after that state abolished its death penalty.Defendant: Kenneth L. Brown
Age: 48
Residence: Donaldson
Plea: No contest plea to aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors