A child molester who reportedly voluntarily confessed to assaulting three children because he wanted help with his “sex addiction” will spend 5 to 15 years in state prison.

In Butler County Court Thursday, 34-year-old Stephen G. Batchelder of Butler Township apologized for his actions, offered to provide help or “explain anything” he could to his victims and thanked sentencing Judge William Shaffer for “leniency and mercy.”

Assistant District Attorney Christine Studeny told the judge that the sentence recommended by prosecutors was on the lower end of the possible spectrum because the defendant accepted responsibility for his actions, did not force the victims to testify at any point, and she “believes he sincerely wants to get treatment.”

According to court records, the cases came to light when Batchelder voluntarily reported to Butler Township police that he was having “recurring nightmares” because he molested a 5-year-old girl in July 2010.

Batchelder told police that he was baby sitting the girl at his home. That night he mixed half a tablet of the anti-anxiety prescription drug Klonopin in liquid and gave the spiked drink to the child, according to a police affidavit. After she fell sleep, he sexually assaulted her.

Troopers were told of the confession and later questioned Batchelder, who recounted his sexual assault of a 6-month-old girl in Center Township in 2002.

Finally, in a third case Batchelder told officials in 2006 or 2007, he and a 2-year-old girl watched a pornographic video at his then-Slippery Rock Township home. While watching the video, he said he masturbated in front of the girl, according to court documents.

Batchelder pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated indecent assault and one count of corruption of minors.

In addition to his prison sentence, the judge declared the defendant a Sexually Violent Predator under the state's Megan's Law. With the designation, Batchelder will be responsible to register his whereabouts with state police and attend counseling for the rest of his life.

A handful of the victims' family members attended the hearing and a mother spoke. She told the defendant that her child is in counseling and struggling in school. The child, she said, is “full of questions and fear.”