City man gets 5-20 years in prison for sexting minor

Ellis pleads guilty to attempted statutory assault, other counts

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- A 32-year-old Altoona man will spend five to 20 years in jail after rendering guilty pleas to charges that developed from his interactions with a 14-year-old girl that included an exchange of sexually explicit text messages and photos.

Steven James Ellis, who has been in the Blair County Prison since his Sept. 22 arrest, said Monday in court that he had no excuse for his behavior that was a reflection of addiction, immaturity, lust and mental health issues.

"My actions were deplorable and I'm sorry," Ellis told the victim's mother, who was in court where Ellis became emotional as he rendered guilty pleas for the negotiated sentence. In response, the mother told Ellis: "I forgive you."

Ellis pleaded guilty to 14 charges, including felony counts of attempted statutory sexual assault, two counts of unlawful contact with a minor, six counts of possession of child pornography and one count of aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 15 and misdemeanor offenses.

Chief Public Defender Russ Montgomery described Ellis as "truly remorseful" and said Ellis accepted responsibility from the beginning.

State police at Hollidaysburg charged Ellis about eight months ago after an investigation into the text messages that the mother discovered had been exchanged between her daughter and Ellis.

Court documents indicate that the girl, using a fake age, created a profile on Tinder, an online dating site.

That connected the girl to Ellis on Sept. 15, when the pair initially exchanged phone numbers and text messages, before later exchanges of sexually explicit messages and photos of themselves.

The charges indicate that on Sept. 18, the girl told Ellis she was 14, but Ellis replied that he still wanted to meet up with her. They met along Pond Street in Frankstown Township, where the girl said Ellis kissed her and touched her body.

After the pair met on Sept. 18, the pair planned to meet again, but didn't because the girl's mother found the messages.

To support the charges, police seized the girl's phone. They also canvassed the Pond Street area and found a video recording of Ellis' vehicle on that street at the time the pair met.

First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith told Judge Jackie Bernard that the negotiated plea reflects a resolution that spares the victim from testifying in court.

The mother, through a statement read in court, said her daughter has changed because of what happened. The girl is in counseling and is now home-schooled because she doesn't feel comfortable around male teachers, according to the mother's statement.

When Bernard imposed Ellis' sentence, she directed him to undergo an evaluation by the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board. She also indicated that he must be evaluated for sexual offenders treatment and to pursue any recommendations.

The sentence also bars him from accessing any sexually explicit materials.

The judge also advised Ellis that by pleading to the charges, he becomes a Tier III sex offender. Based on current law, he faces a lifetime obligation of having to regularly register his address and other identification information with state police.

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