James Crise, who was found guilty during the summer of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, continued to proclaim his innocence Tuesday as he was sentenced by a Westmoreland County judge to serve 20 to 55 years in prison.
Crise, 28, of New Stanton told Judge Rita Hathaway he is innocent and that it was the imagination of his accuser that they were sexually involved for three months in 2007.
Hathaway said no one -- including members of the jury who deliberated 20 minutes before they convicted Crise in September -- believed his story.
"Instead of using your IQ for good, you used it to prey upon innocent members of society. You victimized children who you knew had family problems, who you knew were vulnerable and who were easy prey for you," Hathaway said.
Crise also was convicted of interfering with the custody of a minor.
Crise represented himself during the September trial and, although he had an attorney at his side yesterday, he continued to speak freely and verbally sparred with Hathaway during the hearing.
Members of Crise's family, seated behind him in the courtroom, pleaded several times for him to be quiet.
On his way out of the courtroom Crise said he would not serve out his sentence.
"I won't do more than a year," Crise said.
Crise could have received a much lighter sentence. Prosecutors offered Crise a sentence of five to 10 years in prison if he pleaded guilty before the September trial.
In July, Crise was convicted of possession of child pornography in connection with another case. Police found pictures on his computer of two girls ages 14 and 12 mud-wrestling in bikinis. Crise was accused of driving the girls to a home in Fayette County, where the photos were staged.
In August, while Crise was free on bail, he was charged with assaulting an elderly woman, Assistant District Attorney Kelly Hammers said. That case is pending.
Hathaway said she took into account Crise's record of prior convictions to determine his sentence. His criminal record dates to age 15, when he was adjudicated delinquent for assaulting his mother with a board.
