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Man gets prison for sex with minor

Macfarlane barred from contact with victim’s family

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A 49-year-old Altoona man was sentenced Friday to 10 to 20 years’ incarceration, followed by 10 years’ probation, for sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2021.

Jack R. Macfarlane Jr., who rendered guilty pleas in November to 15 offenses, including six felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a victim less 16 and two felony counts of statutory sexual assault, shook his head no when asked if wanted to offer comment before sentencing.

Altoona police arrested Macfarlane on Jan. 8, 2022, after an investigation confirmed that Macfarlane and the girl were engaging in sexual intercourse, as confirmed by the girl and by Snapchat messages indicating that he had supplied her with alcohol and marijuana.

Macfarlane has since remained in the Blair County Prison.

“You put my daughter in a dark place,” the victim’s mother told Macfarlane before Judge Wade A. Kagarise handed down the sentence. “Now you can go to a dark cell and think about what you’ve done.”

The victim’s sister accused Macfarlane of befriending and convincing her sister that he was the only one who loved her. She added that she knew something was wrong when she found “a love letter” that Macfarlane had written to her sibling.

“I don’t think 10 years in prison is enough for what you did,” the sister said. “I’ll do what I can to see that you stay longer.”

District Attorney Pete Weeks presented Kagarise with the recommended state prison sentence and asked that Macfarlane be barred from further contact with the girl or her family.

Kagarise, who included that restriction in the sentencing order, advised Macfarlane of the risk he faces after getting out of prison.

“This (sentence) puts you under supervision until you’re almost 80 years old,” Kagarise said. “If you violate any conditions, you’ll be back in prison.”

Macfarlane’s convictions also make him a Tier III sex offender, Weeks said in court. Under state law, that requires Macfarlane to regularly register his address and related information with state police for the rest of his life.

Defense attorney Nathan Pletcher told Kagarise that he spent time with Macfarlane in recent months to discuss his case and his options. He said they were preparing to go to trial. That changed in November when Macfarlane entered guilty pleas instead of selecting a jury.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.

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