Indiana County District Attorney Robert Manzi has issued a statement on Friday’s sentencing of a New Florence man charged with multiple crimes against minors.
On Friday, October 22nd, Richard LaRock was sentenced to serve four to eight years in state prison, along with three years of probation following his release. He pleaded guilty in June of this year to 12 counts each of aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault of someone under the age of 13, along with six counts of corruption of minors. Manzi said the investigation started after reports of sexual assault filed between 2014 and 2015, and police discovered that LaRock had assaulted the same victim on multiple occasions. LaRock admitted to committing the assaults after police took him in for questioning.
In his statement, Manzi said that the sentencing was at the highest end of the standard range for sentencing as set by the state sentencing commission, “There simply is not enough jail time for a defendant who victimizes children.” He also said he admired the victim and her family for their courage in being willing to testify. He said that “There are many times that a victim does not wish to proceed in court and we are unable to prosecute a case. Here the victim and the victim’s family were ready to stand up to the defendant so he could be held accountable for his crime.”
He also thanked the state police for their hard work in this investigation.
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