Vescovi

EBENSBURG — A former Cambria Heights High School teacher accused of having a sexual relationship with a student last October has been sentenced to eight months to two years minus a day in county prison.

Isaac B. Vescovi, 29, in January accepted a deal with the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office and pleaded guilty to one felony count of sexual contact with a student.

His sentence was handed down in Cambria County Court on Tuesday. He was immediately taken into custody and transported to the Cambria County Prison.

According to the case file, Vescovi was accused of communicating with the female victim through the school’s email system, texts and Snapchat messages.

The conversations became “sexual in nature,” and Vescovi had sexual intercourse with the victim at his former residence in Patton during summer 2023, court documents state.

Cambria County District Attorney Greg Neugebauer said the deal called for Vescovi to plead guilty to the highest charge — felony sexual contact with a student.

The charges of corruption of minors, unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of a communications facility will be dismissed 31 days after sentencing as long as Vescovi doesn’t appeal the case, Neugebauer said.

Vescovi was also ordered by Judge Tamara Bernstein to pay $591.41 in restitution to the victim and a $2,000 fine.

Vescovi is eligible for parole after eight months.

“Your behavior in jail will certainly guide this court,” Bernstein told Vescovi.

Upon his release from incarceration, Vescovi must complete 60 months of county probation and register his location and contact information with the Pennsylvania State Police as a Megan’s Law sex offender for 25 years.

Vescovi was also ordered to have no contact with the victim.

Vescovi is an “upstanding citizen” who deeply regrets his actions, said his defense attorney, Terry Graffius, adding his client sold his house, surrendered his teaching certification and was accepted into the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s accounting program.

“He wants to go on and live a productive life as an accountant,” Graffius said.

Reading from a prepared statement, Vescovi said he is “deeply sorry” for his actions. He said he prays for the victim and her family and has burned bridges he may never repair with the Cambria Heights School District.

Vescovi said he was also sorry for the emotional pain he inflicted on his parents, who were in tears watching him being placed in handcuffs last fall.

“I cry about these memories every day,” Vescovi said. “Your honor, please know I am deeply sorry.”

The victim, who was present with her family during the sentencing, didn’t speak publicly but addressed Bernstein through a statement Neugebauer read aloud.

From the incident with Vescovi, the victim said she experienced alienation from her peers and her mental health and well-being were “severely impacted” to the point she had to drop all of her dual enrollment classes and forfeited her paid tuition.

“I have frequent night terrors and sleep paralysis. Most of my time is now spent fully immobilized,” the victim said in her statement. “All of these things made me feel helpless.”

Neugebauer said schools should be safe places for students and when positions of trust are abused, the punishment should be fitting.

“There’s a reason why laws exist to prevent this type of conduct,” Neugebauer said.

Bernstein said the time Vescovi will serve in prison “pales in comparison” to the lifelong impact his actions have on the victim.

Vescovi violated the victim’s trust, the school district’s trust and other students’ trust, Bernstein said.

“There are consequences (for your actions),” Bernstein told Vescovi. “I believe that you deserve that as well as the opportunity to move forward.”

After Vescovi completes his five years of probation, he “should be fine” to move forward with his life as an accountant, Bernstein said.

However, if he is found to be in violation of his parole, Vescovi can be served an additional 2.5 to five years of incarceration, Bernstein said.

Bernstein asked Vescovi whether he understood the terms of his sentence and encouraged him to ask questions.

“No, I understand,” Vescovi replied before being handcuffed and taken from the courtroom.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.