Victim labels man 'face of evil'
“I have been consumed with the feeling that evil is all around me. And the face of that evil is Andrew Minehart.”
His victim may not have been present in court, but the young woman's sentiments were there and reverberated through the courtroom Thursday. A victim's advocate with the Victim Outreach Intervention Center (VOICe) read the young woman's impact statement before Judge William Shaffer.
Andrew J. Minehart, 23, of Pulaski stood, listening, with his head down. Shaffer sentenced Minehart to 3½ to 8½ years in state prison for aggravated assault. He must also undergo sex offender treatment during his sentence.
Minehart reached a deal with the district attorney's office in March where he pleaded guilty to the single aggravated assault charge, while other charges against him were dropped. He was originally charged with rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault of a child, indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old and indecent exposure filed Jan. 6, 2017, by Cranberry Township police.
According to the criminal complaint, Minehart began abusing the victim in 2007 when she was 6 years old and Minehart was 11 years old. The abuse occurred in Cranberry Township.
“I'm turning 18 years old now and I would like to date, but I can't because men like Andrew are so good at hiding their evil behind charming smiles,” the victim wrote in her impact statement. “I want Andrew to be put away in jail far away.”
The statement read by Minehart's mother was just as impactful. In it she called her son “a disturbed and hateful person.”
Police became aware of the assaults after receiving reports from the victim, who detailed for investigators a series of alleged rapes that continued late into 2014. According to the criminal complaint, Minehart admitted to raping the victim multiple times.
During Thursday's sentencing, Minehart declined to make a statement. However, his public defender, Joseph Smith, offered a statement.
“Hopefully, this serves as some consolation to all parties,” Smith told those gathered in court.
