Jerry Lee Philhower - Scumbag heads to prison

he sentence will stand for a city man convicted of repeatedly raping a teenage girl and assaulting a young boy whom he forced to watch the sex acts.

Northampton County Judge Paula A. Roscioli on Monday denied a request by Jerry Lee Philhower, 38, to reconsider his sentence.

Philhower was sentenced Jan. 23 to 17 years, 10 months, to 52 years behind bars and a $3,500 fine. Roscioli also ordered Philhower to undergo drug and alcohol treatment.

Prior to sentencing, Philhower waived a hearing to determine whether he is a sexually violent predator and is subject to lifetime registration under Pennsylvania's version of Megan's Law.

At sentencing, defense attorney Mark Minotti asked Roscioli to consider that Philhower held steady jobs throughout his life and was only convicted of drunken driving prior to the rape charges.

Minotti admitted his client suffers from a serious alcohol problem and said his addiction "played a significant role in these horrible charges."

Assistant District Attorney Patricia Broscius called Philhower's behavior "particularly horrendous" and asked Roscioli for an extensive prison term.

Police said Philhower raped the girl, who was 15 at the time, several times from August 2005 through July 2006 at his home in the first block of South Fifth Street.

Roscioli said he forced the young boy to watch and sometimes commented to him about the girl's physical features. Philhower also was charged with punching the boy in the chest to "toughen him up."

Philhower pleaded guilty in September to two counts of rape and single counts of attempted sexual assault and simple assault. As a result of the plea deal, multiple other charges of sexual assault and child endangerment were withdrawn.