A Scranton man will spend up to seven years in state prison for kissing and fondling a 13-year-old girl.
Stephen Juice, 41, of 409 Deacon St., was sentenced by Lackawanna County Judge Michael J. Barrasse on Friday to 33 to 84 months in state prison for sexually assaulting her in May 2011.
City police launched the investigation, which resulted in Mr. Juice being arrested and charged with indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of minors.
Dressed in blue jeans and a black hooded sweatshirt on Friday, Mr. Juice strode up to the judge's bench to receive his sentence. He did not speak at the proceeding.
The victim was present but also did not speak. The Times-Tribune does not identify victims of sexual abuse.
His attorney, Jamie Dench, mentioned Mr. Juice's attempt to withdraw his guilty plea to one of the charges, unlawful contact with a minor.
Mr. Juice continues to assert his innocence, Mr. Dench said.
Judge Barrasse denied the motion last month.
Mr. Juice failed "to take responsibility for his actions," Assistant District Attorney Patricia Lafferty said.
In court Friday, Judge Barrasse deemed Mr. Juice's attempt to take back his guilty plea a mere "tactic" of someone with a "lengthy involvement with the criminal justice system."
Judge Barrasse noted Mr. Juice's long criminal rap sheet and string of guilty pleas to other criminal offenses.
Among the offenses, he was charged in separate incidents with statutory sexual assault, corruption of minors and theft in 2003, according to court records. In 2007, he was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.
He pleaded guilty to all four charges.
In addition to handing down the sentence Friday, Judge Barrasse classified Mr. Juice as a sexually violent predator - meaning he must register as a convicted sex offender - and ordered he have no contact with minors.
Contact the writer: smcconnell@ timesshamrock.com, @smcconnellTT on Twitter