Dunmore man jailed in sex assault case
Oct. 13—SCRANTON — Calling his actions "totally reprehensible," Lackawanna County Judge Andy Jarbola on Wednesday sent a Dunmore man to the county jail because he had sex with a 15-year-old girl.
Evan Christopher McCarthy, 22, 214 Andrew St., was sentenced to 11 to 23 1/2 months in jail followed by two years of probation. The sentence came nearly three months after he pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault and acknowledged he had sexual contact with the teenager.
"I think you took advantage of a young woman," Jarbola said.
The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual assault.
Other counts, including unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors and indecent assault of a person less than 16 were dropped once McCarthy entered his plea, court records show.
Dunmore police charged McCarthy in February following an investigation opened once the girl identified McCarthy to a school resource officer as the source of a pill she had taken, which he said would make her "happy."
The two texted, exchanged intimate photos of each other and, ultimately, had sex, police said.
"As long as you don't mention anything about us, we're both gonna be completely fine," McCarthy told the girl, according to police.
In court Wednesday, McCarthy took "full responsibility" and told the judge the experience has straightened out his life.
His attorney, Daniel Lipson, said McCarthy has not previously been in trouble and had been a pre-med student at Wilkes University before he was arrested. McCarthy wanted to negotiate a plea deal to spare the victim from having to testify.
McCarthy works full time as a chef and wants to start a career as a diesel mechanic. He spent 11 days in jail before he was allowed home confinement.
"He still is going to move forward and become a productive member of society," Lipson said in arguing for a continuance of detention at home.
Jarbola said McCarthy will be credited for the time he has already spent under home confinement but will return to county jail.
Lackawanna County sheriff's deputies led McCarthy from the room in handcuffs.
Contact the writer: jkohut@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9100, x5187; @jkohutTT on Twitter.
