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LOCK HAVEN -- Jeffrey Scott Ballenger, 58, formerly of Circle Drive, Lock Haven, was sentenced by Clinton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael F. Salisbury on one count of aggravated indecent assault of a person with a mental disability, a felony of the second degree.
Following a brief proceeding where several of Ballenger’s family members asked the judge for leniency for Ballenger, Salisbury imposed the maximum sentence permitted under the Pennsylvania Sentencing Guidelines, a three to ten year sentence in a state correctional facility, according to a release from the District Attorney's office via Crimewatch.
Salisbury also imposed a consecutive three-year probation sentence and classified Ballenger as a Tier III, lifetime Megan’s Law registrant as a serious sex offender, the release said.
Ballenger, who had no previous criminal record, pled guilty in May of this year to having engaged in sexual intercourse with a 22 year-old female with down syndrome in May and June of 2022. The sexual intercourse occurred at Ballenger’s home during that time frame, according to the release.
At the sentencing hearing, the Commonwealth presented Salisbury with the victim impact statement provided by the victim, which referenced “Scotty” touching the victim in “a bad way.”
Prior to imposing the sentence, Salisbury told Ballenger that the details of his crimes were reprehensible and deeply disturbing.
Ballenger, whose spouse reportedly served as a “caregiver” for the victim, originally indicated that he didn’t want to provide a statement about his actions, but did disclose that he was attracted to the victim but understood he was wrong for what he did, according to the release.
The arresting officer, Sgt. Denny Gill of Pine Creek Township, told the court that Ballenger needed to be “locked up to protect vulnerable victims” and noted that the victim in this case has the appearance and presentation of a young female child, which made Ballenger’s acts even more disturbing, the release said.