A Summit Township man cried Tuesday in acknowledging he raped his own daughter for years, fathering four children.

The man, who is not being identified to protect the victim’s identity, pleaded guilty to 71 crimes, including multiple counts of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, statutory rape, indecent assault, aggravated indecent assault and incest.

In exchange for his plea, prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence for the man of 15 to 30 years in prison.

He will be sentenced later.

Butler County Judge Timothy McCune accepted the man’s plea and determined the man will be sentenced only after he is evaluated by a member of the state’s Sexual Offender’s Assessment Board.

Assistant District Attorney B.T. Fullerton, who prosecuted the case, said the plea offer was made because the defendant accepted responsibility for his crimes at the first possible opportunity, which was his formal arraignment on Tuesday. Therefore, the need for more court appearances by the victim are negated.

The victim, who was consulted by the district attorney’s office before the plea, did not attend Tuesday’s hearing.

The defendant used paper towels to wipe away his tears throughout the hearing, but made no statements. He simply answered yes or no to questions posed by his attorney, including when he was asked if the allegations against him were true.

Prosecutors have asserted the man began assaulting his daughter in 1992 when she was 12 years old. Court records allege the defendant used violence, threats and alcohol to force the victim to submit.

During the years of sexual abuse, the accuser delivered children in 1994, 1996, 1997 and 2000, all in Allegheny County. The eldest child died last year of natural causes.

Court records indicate the man also took numerous photographs of the accuser during the assaults.

Investigators have not said why the woman disclosed the allegations Aug. 26 to Butler County Children and Youth Services.

Among the alleged evidence is positive paternity tests of the man to the accuser’s four children, according to court documents.

Before entering the deal, the man was given a mental health evaluation. The man’s attorney, Joe Smith, during the hearing said he wanted to keep the results of that evaluation confidential.

However, Smith said based on the evaluation he believes his client is competent.