Charles Reed sentenced to 22 years for sex crimes against 2 girls
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[A Harrisburg man who sexually assaulted a young girl in a church and abused another girl is facing a long prison sentence.
Charles Reed, 67, was sentenced Friday morning to a total of 22 years in prison -- 15 years in the Department of Corrections for the church incident, which happened between March and June 2005 and involved a 14-year-old girl, and seven years in prison for abuse of a 4-year-old girl dating back to 1997. The sentences are consecutive. Reed must serve 85 percent of the sentences.
Reed pleaded guilty July 2 to one charge in each of the cases filed against him. Both cases followed grand jury indictments - the case involving the 14-year-old girl was filed May 4, 2009; the case involving the abuse of the 4-year-old was filed Sept. 9, 2009. Several charges were dropped after the guilty pleas.
Reed was driving a bus or van for Mt. Calvary Baptist Church at the time of the 2005 assault. After a church service, he took everyone else home except the victim. They went back to the church, where Reed suggested the girl come inside with him for a few minutes.
They went downstairs to the basement. The girl sat on a table and waited for Reed. After a few minutes, he came back, pushed her down on the table and sexually assaulted her, according to court documents. She was unable to put up much resistance.
"This 14-year-old girl had a broken leg at the time he sexually assaulted her," Assistant State's Attorney Eva Walker said.
The victim's sister-in-law said the girl has changed since the sexual assault.
"She cannot bring herself to go to church," she said. If we drive within a block of the church her breathing gets short and she hyperventilates, the girl's sister-in-law said in a victim impact statement.
The mother of the victim read a statement in court written by the girl, who is now 19.
"I don't talk to anyone. I stay in my own little world away from my family and friends," her mother said.
The victim thought it was her own fault for a long time and didn't tell anyone. It still bothers her to go near the church where Reed raped her, the victim's mother said.
The victim has been in counseling for about a year.
Reed kept his head down during the victim impact statements.
Assistant State's Attorney Eva Walker tried to read aloud affidavits from other girls who say Reed molested them from the time they were 8 or 9 years old. He was not charged in those incidents, but Walker contended the uncharged acts could be used as factors for the judge to consider in handing down a longer sentence.
Morris did not allow a reading of the affidavits, pointing out they are in the pre-sentence investigation ordered earlier by the court.
"You can argue it. I'm not going to let you read it. I read it," Morris said.
Second case
The victim in the 1997 case - age 4 at the time of the abuse for which Reed was convicted - was left emotionally scarred, according to court documents. The scars have become physical - the girl cuts and burns herself. Those who practice self-injury sometimes hope to use physical pain to mask or relieve emotional pain.
It has affected her self-esteem, she has trust issues and is fearful of older men, according to court documents.
The sound of footsteps scares the victim - she could always hear his footsteps when he came to her room to molest her. She now sleeps with a radio on to drown out sounds such as footsteps, according to court documents.
Walker recommended a sentence of 14 years in the abuse case and 30 years in the 2005 sexual assault, to be served consecutively.
Public Defender Todd Bittle argued Reed is not eligible for extended terms. He also said the defendant is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease and a general state of bad health. The loss of Reed's pension income would be a burden on his wife, Bittle said.
"The longer he is incarcerated, the more hardship it will cause his wife," Bittle said.
Bittle recommended four years in prison on the first charge and three years on the second charge, served concurrently.
Reed asked Morris for lenience.
"I'm in poor health and I have Alzheimer's. I think my wife has Alzheimer's and (cardiopulmonary disease)," Reed said.