City man admits to violating sex offender rules

Koch will serve 3.5 to 7 years for violations

HOLLIDAYSBURG -- An Altoona man who has repeatedly failed to comply with sex offender registration rules was sentenced Wednesday to 3½- to seven-years' incarceration, followed by three-years' probation.

Senior Judge Daniel J. Milliron imposed the sentence on Jason Allen Koch, 48, currently a Blair County Prison inmate who is now awaiting transfer to a state prison.

Koch rendered guilty pleas to offenses in nine criminal cases between 2022 and Dec. 2, 2024, when he was jailed a few days after he was accused -- for the third time in 2024 -- of failing to comply with sex offender registration rules.

Koch's guilty pleas also addressed outstanding charges for scattering rubbish, reckless endangerment, disorderly conduct, flight and related misdemeanor offenses.

Assistant District Attorney Julia Wilt told Milliron that her office proposed to Koch that his nine cases could be resolved with guilty pleas to multiple offenses for a sentence with 3½- to seven-years' incarceration. But that offer was valid through Jan. 1, when Wilt said the recommended sentence became five- to 10-years' incarceration, followed by 10-years' probation.

Represented by defense attorney Tyler Rowles, Koch opted on Wednesday to enter guilty pleas for no recommended sentence, thereby putting Milliron in a position of deciding.

Milliron indicated in court that the imposed sentence was an extension of the original plea offer and not something he came up with on his own. The judge also told Koch that he will be credited for days already served, as calculated by the prison.

While court records show Koch has been in the county prison since Dec. 2, Koch advised Milliron that he has credit for prior stints in jail served before making bail.

Court records show Koch's registration as a sex offender began Sept. 13, 2012, after he finished the minimum portion of his 11 months to 22 months of incarceration handed down in 2011, when he pleaded guilty to a felony count of unlawful contact with a minor - sexual offenses.

In late 2013, that sentence became one- to five-years' incarceration through recognition of a probationary violation, which was based on his failure, in August 2013, to comply with sex offender registration rules.

Court records show police charged Koch three times in 2024 with failure to comply with sex offender registration rules, with offenses dated March 13, July 12 and Nov. 27.

Koch's guilty pleas also addressed his failure to make a required county court appearance on Oct. 31, prompting a bench warrant.

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