An Elizabethtown man will serve up to 12 years in prison for sexual abuse of a child and for soliciting lewd photos of children for money.
Jared Douglas pleaded guilty to numerous charges this week in Lancaster County Court, including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, and criminal solicitation.
Douglas will serve 6 to 12 years in prison, followed by 5 years of probation, in accordance with agreements arranged by Assistant District Attorneys Amy Muller and Janie Swinehart.
Douglas, 22, must register his whereabouts with police for the rest of his life, Lancaster County President Judge Dennis Reinaker ordered.
Douglas met the victims while volunteering with Boy Scouts, according to court testimony.
Regarding the physical contact case, Douglas abused the child in the summer of 2016.
Last year, he offered three children money to send lewd photos – the children did not send the photos. Douglas also attempted to sexually abuse two of those children. (The charges do not include allegations of physical contact.)
“My son’s innocence was taken from him,” a victim’s mother said at the sentencing hearing. “No child should ever have to go through this.”
Douglas collapsed on a podium and wept as the woman spoke, a few steps away.
“I am the person who brought Jared into their lives,” the woman said. “I am forever burdened with this.”
Douglas pleaded guilty to 16 charges in all.
Manheim Borough police Detective Aaron Szulborski filed charges in the physical contact case. Mount Joy Borough police Officer Christine Keiffer filed charges in the solicitation case.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright