Published: June 19, 2009 11:39 pm      

Ex-counselor sentenced in molestation of teen girl

Bedford man to serve 20 to 40 years in jail

BEDFORD, Pa. — A former youth mentor in Bedford County will spend the next 20 to 40 years in prison for molesting a 14-year-old girl whom he was assigned to mentor.

Barry Crespo, 43, was sentenced Thursday by Judge Daniel L. Howsare after being convicted in a jury trial last March of sexual offenses involving the victim whom he was mentoring through the Youth Advocate Program. Crespo was convicted of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, five counts of aggravated indecent assault and six counts each of corruption of minors and indecent assault.

Bedford County District Attorney Bill Higgins emphasized that Crespo exploited a troubled young girl whom he was charged with mentoring, arguing “this is a man who was trusted with the responsibility of looking after this young woman, and he took advantage of her situation to satisfy his own sexual desires.”

Higgins said Crespo showed no remorse at sentencing, failed to accept responsibility for his actions and failed to recognize the wrongfulness of his actions.

The prosecutor also said, “The Youth Advocate Program does a lot of good work on behalf of children in Bedford County, and it is extremely unfortunate that Crespo put a ‘black eye’ on the agency. I have full confidence in the Youth Advocate Program and hope that the public realizes that Barry Crespo was certainly an exception to the excellent work that these mentors perform for young people in our community.”

Crespo began mentoring the child in October 2007 and began touching her shorly after accepting the assignment. He eventually took her to a motel in Reading, Pa., where he had sexual intercourse with her.

When questioned by police, Crespo lied about being in the Reading area and in a motel with the child. However the state was able to establish, through phone records, a motel receipt and an eyewitness that Crespo was, in fact, in the Reading area on the days in question.

Crespo did not testify when he was tried on March 13, 2009. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before convicting Crespo on all charges

Upon his release from prison, Crespo will be required to register his address and employment information with the Pennsylvania State Police for the remainder of his lifetime.

“The most troubling aspect of this crime is that this 43-year-old man saw absolutely nothing wrong with taking a 14-year-old girl, whom he was assigned to mentor, to a motel room to spend the night with him, and at no point has he expressed the slightest bit of remorse for his behavior.

“Barry Crespo is a manipulative and deceptive child sex offender. He lied at every turn, even when confronted with overwhelming evidence,” said Higgins. “State prison is exactly where he belongs.”