HOLLIDAYSBURG — A 73-year-old Williamsburg man accused a year ago of sexually assaulting a teenage boy with whom he engaged in a relationship has entered guilty pleas in Blair County court for a state prison sentence of five to 10 years’ incarceration, followed by 10 years’ probation.

Steven M. Lane, who has been in the county prison since his May 2024 arrest, pleaded guilty on Friday to felony counts of human trafficking and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 for the recommended prison sentence.

District Attorney Pete Weeks said that in exchange for the negotiated plea, he would withdraw Lane’s other charges, including unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 16, indecent assault of a person less than 16 and corruption of minors.

Defense attorney Thomas Dickey said he spoke with his client about his options and going to trial. He described his client’s case as “sad” and suggested that Lane was manipulated.

In court, Lane referenced his age and spoke of being active in his community, starting as a volunteer with the fire department when he was 16 years old.

“I’ve never been in trouble,” Lane told Judge Jackie Bernard, who reminded him of how his actions affected others.

“These were young men … and they’re scarred by what happened with you,” she said.

“I don’t totally agree with some of the things I’ve been charged for,” Lane said.

State police at Huntingdon, listed on court documents as the agency that investigated and filed the charges, indicated that in March 2021, they were provided with eight pages of Facebook messages between Lane and a male teenager that were sexually graphic and indicated that the two had engaged in sexual activity.

Police said that in subsequent interviews, they learned the victim, when he was 15 or 16 years old, met Lane, who would buy vape pods and alcohol for him. Charges also indicate that Lane provided the teenager with rides, and asked for sexual favors and pictures in return.

Charges indicate that when police interviewed Lane and showed him the graphic Facebook messages, Lane reportedly admitted to having oral sex with and giving oral sex to the victim on multiple occasions.

When police asked Lane if there were other victims, Lane allegedly spoke of interacting with the victim’s brother.

Police said he also spoke of receiving a cellphone photo of a young male’s nude buttocks. Using a search warrant, police reviewed the contents of Lane’s phone and found not only the photo of the buttocks but also photos of the first victim.

Weeks told Bernard that based on information supplied to his office, he understood that the victims were in agreement with the negotiated plea. They were not in the courtroom for sentencing.

When imposing Lane’s sentence, Bernard read a lengthy list of restrictions for him to observe, including no contact with any victims, no position of authority over anyone less than 18 years old and no contact with anyone under 18 unless approved by his state parole/probation officer.

She also ordered him to undergo a psycho-sexual evaluation and follow through with recommended treatment.

His sentence also requires him to participate in a Sexual Offenders Assessment Board evaluation to determine if he meets the definition of a sexually violent predator, meaning he’s likely to reoffend.

Lane’s guilty pleas also make him a convicted sex offender who, upon release from prison, will be required to regularly register his address and identification information with state police for the rest of his life.

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