An 82-year-old Morgantown man was sentenced today to at least five years in state prison for a string of sexual assaults on a child 20 years ago.

Edward William Rawlings was sentenced in Lancaster County Court by Judge Paul K. Allison for the assaults, which occurred in Caernarvon Township between January 1984 and January 1988.

Rawlings wasn't charged with the crimes until March 2006. He pleaded guilty this past March and has been in prison since then.

His victim, now a young woman who was 4 when the abuse began, thanked the judge today for being able to bring this matter before the court and called it a step in the healing process.

She stood with her back to Rawlings, a slight, white-haired man in green scrubs who spoke audibly to his lawyer during her statement.

Then Rawlings asked the judge to consider house arrest or house probation in lieu of jail time, claiming this is his first offense and saying he hadn't gotten so much as a speeding ticket during his life.

But Allison explained that the charges against him, and his plea agreement, carry a mandatory minimum of five years in prison.

He sentenced Rawlings to up to 10 years in prison, for one count each of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, corruption of minors and indecent exposure.

The defendant also underwent assessment to determine if he would need to register as a sexually-violent predator. Rawlings didn't qualify for the status, but will have to register with the state police after his release and keep the agency informed about any changes in address or employment.

Given the defendant's age, however — Rawlings will be 83 this month — his attorney, Kurt Gardner, said his time in prison will be "tantamount, essentially, to a life sentence."

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