HOLLIDAYSBURG - A Claysburg man charged with possible sexual abuse of a young girl and the beating of a young boy was sentenced Friday to a minimum of three months in the Blair County Prison.
Ricky Gerald Bryant II, 29, of Bedford Street, Claysburg, will be given credit for time served, which is about two months, meaning he has another month to serve on the sentence imposed by Blair County Judge Elizabeth Doyle.
The judge gave him 3 to 23 months in jail followed by two years' probation.
Bryant entered guilty pleas to charges of corruption of minors and recklessly endangering another person.
He is among five individuals arrested in recent weeks for alleged child abuse.
His wife, Christina Bryant, is also facing charges but will be sentenced at a later time.
According to the charges before the court Friday, Greenfield Township Police Chief Ron Givler received a complaint on Feb. 6 that Bryant had used a belt to hit a 5-year-old boy on the face.
Givler interviewed Bryant, who said the child had spilled laundry detergent on the floor and he used his belt to discipline the youngster.
According to charging documents, the child had a large welt and bruise on his face, a mark on his nose and a bruise on his left arm.
Bryant entered a plea of recklessly endangering on this charge.
In May, another complaint against Bryant was forwarded to police from Blair County Children, Youth & Families.
He was charged with corruption of a child for bouncing a young girl on his knee while he was nude.
The youngster was interviewed about the incident at the Children's Resource Center in Harrisburg, a child advocacy center.
The child was also examined by Dr. Lawrence Rosenberg of Johnstown.
Doyle ordered Bryant to undergo a mental health evaluation.
The judge told Bryant his case will not have to be reviewed under Megan's Law to determine if he is a violent sexual predator.
Neither Bryant nor his attorney, Public Defender James DeFrancesco, made any statements during the sentencing hearing before Doyle.
Claysburg residents charged recently in possible child sexual abuse cases include the Bryants, Patrick and Tabatha Partsch and Brittany Weyandt.
Mirror Staff Writer Phil Ray is at 946-7468.
