Former Trinity teacher sentenced to at least 18 years in prison
A former Trinity High School teacher was sentenced to 18 to 36 years in state prison on charges he sexually abused two young girls.
Washington County Judge Michael J. Lucas imposed the sentence Friday on Thomas F. Kelley Jr., 48, formerly of Somerset Township. Lucas also ordered Kelley to serve 10 years of probation following his release from prison.
Jurors found Kelley guilty of charges including rape, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault, child endangerment, corruption of minors, indecent assault and aggravated indecent assault following a trial in November. He was accused of raping a girl about 20 years ago when she was 6.
At Friday’s proceeding, Kelley also pleaded no contest to additional charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault in a deal with prosecutors on charges involving a second girl, who was also a minor at the time.
State police filed charges in 2015.
Two relatives of the victims gave impact statements. Assistant District Attorney Kristin Clingerman and the sister of one victim each read statements from the victims. Assistant Public Defender Rose Semple represented Kelley.
Kelley resigned from Trinity in 2010 after he was asked to do so.
He went on to work in the natural gas industry in Washington before moving to Texas to work for an energy company. He was living there at the time charges were filed.