CUMBERLAND COUNTY, Pa. — A Blair County man will serve up to 12 years in prison after pleading guilty to the sexual assault of a four-year-old girl in Cumberland County, prosecutors announced Friday.
James Sollenberger, 53, of Sinking Valley, was sentenced this week to a prison term of six to 12 years by Cumberland County Judge Albert H. Masland, the Cumberland County District Attorney's Office said.
Authorities began investigation Sollenberger after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip included photographs of a then-unknown child performing sex acts on an adult male.
Through an investigation, State Police Cpl. Adam DePauw of the Computer Crimes Unit determined the adult male in the photos was Sollenberger.
Police were also identify the victim, who was four years old at the time the photos were taken, prosecutors said.
On February 16, Sollenberger pleaded guilty to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and was subsequently ordered to undergo a sexual offender evaluation under Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law.
As a result of his conviction, Sollenberger is classified as a Tier III sexual offender and required to register under Megan’s Law for the remainder of his life.
First Assistant District Attorney Courtney Hair LaRue praised the excellent investigative work of DePauw and the Computer Crimes Unit.
“As a result of Cpl. DePauw’s investigation, the defendant no longer has access to this victim or any other potential future victims," LaRue said. "A predator has been removed from our streets.”
District Attorney Seán M. McCormack commented, “This case came to the attention of the police through a tip. This case is a good example of how the public can make a difference to an abused child. I encourage people that if they believe a child is being abused to make a report to ChildLine 1-800-932-0313, or online.”
