CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) — A Knox man who reportedly had a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl was sentenced to up to two years behind bars on Wednesday.
President Judge Sara J. Seidle-Patton on Wednesday, April 21, sentenced 21-year-old Garrett Allan Wetzel to a minimum of one year less one day confinement up to a maximum of two years less two days confinement in the Clarion County Jail followed by two years of consecutive probation on the following charge:
– Statutory Sexual Assault: 4-8 Years Older, Felony 2
Wetzel pleaded guilty to the above charge on February 17.
As a result of the plea agreement, the following charges were dismissed:
– Statutory Sexual Assault: 4-8 Years Older, Felony 2 (three counts)
– Aggravated Indecent Assault — Comp. Less Than 16, Felony 2
– Contact/Communicate With Minor-Sexual Abuse, Felony 2
– Corruption Of Minors — Defendant Age 18 or Above, Felony 3 (four counts)
– Child Pornography, Felony 3
– Criminal Use Of Communication Facility, Felony 3
– Indecent Assault Person Less 16 Yrs Age, Misdemeanor 2 (four counts)
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Seidle-Patton noted that it was clear from the evidence that Wetzel knew that what he was doing with the victim was wrong as he was aware of her age.
“You took advantage of a young girl going through a difficult time,” Seidle-Patton said, going on to say his actions “changed her life forever.”
However, she also noted that the plea agreement included that Wetzel be sentenced to a term in county jail rather than a state prison sentence.
Details of the case:
According to a criminal complaint, on June 3, Clarion-based State Police opened an investigation into a statutory sexual assault following a report from a known juvenile victim’s mother that her daughter, who is 14 years old, had informed her that she engaged in sexual intercourse with a 20-year-old man, identified as Garrett Wetzel.
Trooper Bauer, of PSP Clarion, interviewed the victim’s mother by phone. She reported that during a FaceTime conversation with the victim, the victim said she was in a relationship with Wetzel, and Wetzel was then added to the conversation and confirmed he was “dating” the victim. He also reportedly stated he was 18 years old.
The victim’s mother said she was concerned about Wetzel’s age and later questioned the victim about whether or not she was sexually active with Wetzel. She noted that was when the victim stated she had intercourse with Wetzel on two separate occasions. She also noted she then received text messages from Wetzel stating he was “in love” with the victim and did not “want her to look at him weird because of the age difference. She told police she asked Wetzel if he had intercourse with the victim, and Wetzel acknowledged that he did. He also then admitted he was actually 20 years old, according to the complaint.
The victim’s mother also provided screenshots of the text conversation with Wetzel, the complaint notes.
Trooper Bauer, of PSP Clarion, then interviewed the victim.
According to the complaint, the victim reported Wetzel first reached out to her via Facebook and said he “thought she was cute,” and she then began messaging with him. She noted Wetzel originally said he was 17 years old.
The victim stated that after communicating for two or three days, she suggested they meet in person, and Wetzel agreed to come to her residence and meet her outside around midnight. She noted when they met, he looked older than 17. She reported they met outdoors and had intercourse that night.
The victim reported she later invited Wetzel into the basement of her home, and they talked and then had intercourse again.
According to the complaint, the victim stated Wetzel then contacted her again the next day, and they decided they were “dating.” She reported he came to her residence again a day or two later, late at night, she sneaked out to meet him, and they had intercourse a third time. She noted that as they did so, her father turned on the lights and closed the back door of the residence, and Wetzel ran away.
The victim reported they had intercourse another time when Wetzel came to her residence, and she sneaked out through a small window.
The victim said that Wetzel knew she was 14 when they met and said they had conversations about the age difference and whether or not he would get in legal trouble. She told police Wetzel told her, “It would be worth it,” the complaint indicates.
Wetzel was interviewed on June 6.
Wetzel told Trooper Bauer that he “friend requested” the victim on Facebook and began communicating with her “because she was going through tough times.” He claimed that after a few weeks, the victim invited him to her home, met him outside, and then they had sexual intercourse. He also reported she then invited him into the basement, where they had intercourse again, according to the complaint.
Wetzel said a few days later, he was “out driving” when he decided to stop at the victim’s house “to hang out.” He reported the victim sneaked out, they met in the yard, and then had intercourse. However, he said he then noticed the victim’s father was awake in the residence and decided to leave, the complaint states.
He went on to report that the victim invited him over again, via text message, at a later date, and said when he arrived, she exited through a window. They then had intercourse again, the complaint continues.
Wetzel stated that the victim sent him approximately ten to fifteen nude photographs via Facebook Messenger and text messages, in various poses exposing her breasts and her genitals, as well as images in her underwear, and showed police the images on his phone, the complaint indicates.
Wetzel admitted that he knew the victim was 14 years old before meeting her in person and said he was “upfront” with the victim about his own age, the complaint states.
Wetzel was arraigned in front of Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill at 3:10 p.m. on Saturday, June 6.
Court documents indicate Wetzel is also facing a preliminary hearing at 11:00 a.m. on May 4, on charges related to the alleged indecent assault of a four-year-old child.
EDITOR’S NOTE 1: Extreme graphic details were not included due to the sexual nature of the alleged crimes.
EDITOR’S NOTE 2: Several details were removed from this article to help protect the identity of the victims.
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