LANCASTER, Pa. — A York man convicted in March of sexually abusing three minor victims in Lancaster County over a span of five years was sentenced this week to a prison term of up to 140 years, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.
George Wakeley, 62, formerly of the 3400 block of Bull Road in York, was found guilty of eight counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, three counts of corruption of minors, and six counts of indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age after a two-day trial.
He was sentenced Wednesday morning to 64 to 140 years in prison at a hearing before Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Conrad, prosecutors said.
Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick prosecuted the case and submitted into evidence during the sentencing hearing the findings of a forensic psychologist, who determined that Wakeley is a sexually violent predator and a sadist, the latter of which is a rare distinction, the district attorney's office said.
“What’s the character of a man who has spent nearly three decades sexually abusing children?” Haverstick said during the sentencing proceeding. “He has lived his whole live as someone who has victimized children. Anyone in society would call that person a monster, a coward, and pathetic.”
Haverstick asked the judge to impose a sentence of 108½ to 217 years.
Defense counsel argued that Wakeley had an abusive childhood as a reason for mitigation.
Wakeley took his opportunity to speak when given the chance by Conrad and delivered an expletive-laden denial of the charges and convictions, according to prosecutors.
“I’m disappointed in what you said here today,” Conrad responded. “I believe what the children had to say and not what you had to say.”
One of the victims, each of whom ranged in age from 5 to 12, disclosed the abuse to the Northern Lancaster County Regional Police in 2018 before an extensive investigation resulted in charges being filed on November 21, 2022.
The abuse occurred at a residence in the 1500 block of Rothsville Road, Warwick Township, between 2003 and 2008.
Northern Lancaster County Regional Police Detective Eric Zimmerman filed charges and testified at trial.
