Cecil Twp. man convicted of sexually assaulting boy sentenced to prison
A Cecil Township man convicted in September of sexually assaulting an 11-year-old boy over two years could spend the rest of his life in prison.
Ryan Lewis Wolstoncroft, 40, appeared Thursday at the Washington County Courthouse and was sentenced by President Judge Valarie Costanzo to serve 36 to 72 years in a state prison.
A pre-sentence investigation also designated Wolstoncroft as a sexually violent predator, and he’ll face 12 years on probation after his release, according to Washington County District Attorney Jason Walsh.
Cecil Township police were alerted of the situation in January 2022 when South Fayette police contacted them about a separate molestation case from the early 2000s in which Wolstoncroft was the suspect, although he was never charged in that case.
Cecil Township police arrested and charged Wolstoncroft in January 2022 in connection with the sexual assault of the boy. The victim, who is still a minor, testified during the trial and told the jury about the abuse.
Wolstoncroft assaulted the boy several times between 2020 and 2021 going back to when the child was 11, Cecil Township police said. Wolstoncroft touched the boy inappropriately and engaged in sex acts with him during that time. Police also said Wolstoncroft purchased the boy credits for a popular video game in exchange for their silence.
It took a Washington County jury about an hour of deliberations to find Wolstoncroft guilty Sept. 10 on charges of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a child, sexual assault, indecent assault and corruption of minors following a two-day trial.
After the verdict, Wolstoncroft was taken to the Washington County jail, where he has been held awaiting sentencing. He had been free on $250,000 cash bond since shortly after his arrest in late January 2022.
Wolstoncroft’s defense attorney, Chad Schneider, could not be reached for comment after the sentencing.