A Westmoreland County judge on Monday sentenced a former Latrobe man to up to 20 years in prison for the 2024 rape of a child.
Randy B. Shipley Jr., 40, appeared via video from a state prison in Forest County, where he is awaiting a hearing for an alleged parole violation in a decades-old Jefferson County case.
In October, Shipley pleaded guilty to felony counts of rape, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors. Police said Shipley plied the 13-year-old girl with alcohol before the assault. According to court records, DNA evidence found on the girl’s clothing contradicted Shipley’s initial claims of innocence.
During the hearing, Shipley briefly apologized for the February 2024 crimes.
“The victim no longer feels safe around other men, and her innocence was taken from her,” said Assistant District Attorney Leo Ciaramitaro. “He damaged the victim in this way. She believes she is less of a person because of his actions.”
Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger ordered Shipley to serve 10 to 20 years in prison. The penalty will run consecutive to any additional sentence imposed for his prior crimes. Prosecutors said Shipley had been recently paroled after serving a 3½- to 7-year sentence for theft in Jefferson County.
Krieger said Shipley’s actions warranted a lengthy sentence.
“The damage you did to your (victim) cannot be repaired. The only worse thing you could have done was to kill her,” Krieger said.
Addressing the victim, he added: “This is not your fault. You cannot control what people do to you. Go on and have a good life.”