A Youngwood man will serve 19 years on probation after he pleaded guilty Thursday to two felony counts of child endangerment and two misdemeanor counts of corruption of minors.
Jack Bates,, 47, formerly of Greensburg, who originally was charged with rape and sexual assault of two teenage girls, said it was in his best interest to take the plea bargain deal proposed by Westmoreland County prosecutors. He will spend no additional time in jail.
Prosecutors dismissed the two counts of rape as well as additional charges of aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and statutory sexual assault.
According to court records, police said the girls claimed in 2017 they were sexually assaulted multiple times at two different homes in Greensburg. Bates’ accusers, now adults, told police the sexual contact started in 2012 and continued until September 2014, when they were 12 and 14 years old.
Police said Bates denied the allegations.
Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Calisti Tyburski said authorities agreed to dismiss the more serious charges after speaking with Bates’ accusers and potential difficulties at trial after the death of the lead investigator last year.
“The victims wanted to resolve this without a trial. They didn’t want to testify at trial,” Tyburski said.
Bates served about year in jail after his arrest and has been free on bond since May. Judge Christopher Feliciani sentenced Bates to serve 11 1/2 to 23 months in jail and paroled him immediately to begin serving an additional 19 years on probation.
Bates will be required to register as a convicted sex offender for the next 15 years, the judge said.
