Centre County man found guilty of child sexual abuse, faces lengthy prison sentence
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- Kenneth M. Yerger was convicted of 56 charges related to child sexual abuse.
- A Clinton County jury found Yerger guilty after a two-day trial and short deliberation.
- Sentencing is set for Dec. 9 with a possible maximum of 659 years in prison.
A Centre County man was convicted Friday of dozens of charges related to the sexual abuse of four children.
Kenneth M. Yerger, 28, of Ferguson Township, was found guilty of all 56 charges by a Clinton County jury at the end of a two-day trial. Six women and six men deliberated for about 1 1/2 hours before delivering their verdict.
Yerger was found guilty of felony counts of child rape, aggravated indecent assault, statutory sexual assault, indecent assault of a child, unlawful contact with a minor, sexual assault and corruption of minors. He was also convicted of a misdemeanor count of indecent assault of a child.
“I am obviously pleased with the verdict, and I am very grateful for the service of our jury,” Clinton County District Attorney Dave Strouse said in a statement. “But most of all, I am happy for the 4 victims in this case who had to endure so much, including the traumatic experience of having to sit in the courtroom and face their abuser. I hope they can use this verdict as a starting point to heal and find happiness in their lives.”
Strouse also complimented the investigation carried out by state police at Lamar troopers Chad Harpster and Dalton Young. A message left with defense lawyer Brian W. Ulmer was not immediately returned Friday night.
Four girls between approximately 8 to 15 years old each described similar abuse during forensic interviews, Harpster wrote in an affidavit of probable cause. They said Yerger paid or gave them items before or abuse the abuse, which spanned 2017-21.
One girl told investigators she was abused at Yerger’s home in Ferguson Township, police wrote.
Yerger and his wife testified in his defense Friday, Strouse wrote in his statement. Following his conviction, Clinton County Judge Michael F. Salisbury revoked Yerger’s bail. He is incarcerated at the Clinton County Correctional Facility.
His sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 9. The convictions carry a potential maximum sentence of 659 years in state prison, though prosecutors have not publicly said what they plan to seek.