HOLLIDAYSBURG — An Allentown-area man who drove to Altoona in January for what he thought would be a sexual encounter with a 15-year-old boy has rendered guilty pleas in Blair County Court for a state prison sentence of one to 10 years’ incarceration.

Richard Ralph Newman, 67, of Bath, Northumberland County, entered guilty pleas Friday to felony counts of attempted statutory sexual assault and attempted unlawful contact with a child. He also pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of possessing an instrument of crime.

Assistant District Attorney Nicholas Mays presented Blair County Judge Jackie Bernard with the proposed plea agreement in what was described as an accelerated case.

Newman’s arrest developed from the pursuit of a Johnstown teenager and his mother, who met Newman in mid-January at the Wingate Hotel, 909 Chestnut Ave.

The teenager, who later posted an online video of his meeting with Newman, accused Newman of having engaged in inappropriate text message conversations, which prompted him to drive to Altoona for what was to be a sexual encounter.

In the video, Newman acknowledged that the conversations were inappropriate and referred to them as “chatter.” Newman also said on the video that the person he was communicating with initially indicated that he was 18 years old, then admitted to being younger.

Altoona police, who were summoned to the Wingate Hotel by the teenager’s mother, indicated in Newman’s criminal charges that their review of the evidence showed the teenager told Newman on Jan. 4 that he was 15 years old and Newman replied: “That’s fine with me.”

Officers also obtained a search warrant for Newman’s hotel room, luggage and vehicle, leading them to find multiple sex toys, lubricants and medications, including Viagra.

Newman has been in the county prison since his Jan. 17 arrest when Magisterial District Judge Ben Jones set bail at $1 million.

Assistant Public Defender Jordan DeLeo, representing Newman in court on Friday, advised Bernard that Newman has no prior criminal record.

Bernard advised Newman that based on his guilty pleas and the negotiated sentence, he will be going to a state prison.

Newman acknowledged that and told the judge: “It’s all new to me.”

The judge told Newman that based on his pleas, he will be required to comply with sex offender registration requirements upon release. Among the sentencing requirements, the judge directed Newman to participate in an evaluation by the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board and to undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation and follow through with recommended treatment.

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