HOLLIDAYSBURG — The city man who admitted to sexually abusing a juvenile for about a decade was sentenced to 23 to 60 years in prison during Blair County court Wednesday afternoon.

James Robert Kennedy, 51, pleaded guilty to four felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years of age and single felony counts of incest of a minor – complainant 13-18 years of age, corruption of minors and photographing/filming/computer depicting a sex act of a child.

Supporters for the victim lined the pews of courtroom four, where President Judge Wade A. Kagarise first listened to testimony from Julia Lindemuth, a board member of the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board.

Through questioning by First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith, Lindemuth said Kennedy met the criteria to be classified as a sexually violent predator and exhibited behaviors consistent with pedophilic disorder. While Kennedy chose not to participate in an interview for the assessment, Lindemuth said it isn’t required to make a determination as they look at the totality of information in the case.

“He used and maintained this relationship, at least in part” to continue sexually victimizing the minor, Lindemuth said.

Based on the board’s assessment, Kagarise ultimately ruled Kennedy to be a sexually violent predator and ordered him to comply with any of the conditions associated with the designation.

In an impact statement read on his behalf by his mother, the victim said Kennedy corrupted him “from the age of seven.”

“He said it was something all men did,” the victim wrote. “It didn’t matter how many times I said ‘no’ or asked him ‘why me?'”

The victim wrote that “all I could say was no one will believe me” because “this doesn’t happen to boys.”

“Of course my mom believed me and stood by my side,” the victim wrote.

He then asked Kagarise to let Kennedy “rot, and far away from us.”

In her own statement, the victim’s mother requested Kennedy’s sentences to be consecutive, asking “why should he be shown grace when he showed (the victim) none?” She called Kennedy “sick and a liar” and said he needed to be “held accountable for the years he has taken.”

The victim’s older brother also spoke, echoing his mother’s request for Kennedy to receive consecutive sentences and calling Kennedy a “sociopath.”

“It’s not fair he could walk free in a few years after what he did to my brother,” he said through tears.

Following the impact statements, Altoona Police Sergeant Detective Eric Heuston, who was the main investigator on the case, addressed Kagarise, saying that while Kennedy did ultimately confess and enter a guilty plea, he kept falling back on blaming the victim.

Heuston described the case as “very grotesque” and said Kennedy’s crimes could be far-reaching.

The investigation showed Kennedy worked with children with special needs, who were often non-verbal, and after Kennedy’s arrest, APD received “numerous” phone calls from parents concerned their children could be potential victims and asking if certain behaviors were normal, Heuston said.

“Those parents are left with a lot of ‘what-ifs,'” Heuston said.

Heuston also told Kagarise that he uncovered videos Kennedy had taken of himself masturbating in the secured bathrooms of his place of employment where he worked with those children.

“These are disgusting acts,” Heuston said. “I wouldn’t have been surprised if … there would have been other victims.”

Smith then requested a sentence of 25 to 50 years and for the sentence at each charge to run consecutively to one another. She said the emotional manipulation, premeditation, grooming and abuse “lasted for so long and was so pervasive” in the victim’s life that the victim had tried to commit suicide.

In arguing for a lighter sentence, Chief Public Defender Julia Burke said Kennedy had “immediately confessed” and took accountability.

“He ruined his own life in many ways and he knows that,” Burke said.

Kennedy, who remained silent and looked downward throughout the hearing, addressed the court, saying he knew “forgiveness may never come.”

“My actions have ruined my family’s life,” Kennedy said. “I am ashamed and take full responsibility for what I’ve done.”

Kagarise gave no comments before handing down Kennedy’s sentence.

Kennedy was sentenced to 60 to 120 months for each of the four felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years of age, 18 to 120 months for the single felony count of incest of a minor, 12 to 60 months for the single felony count of photographing/filming/computer depicting a sex act of a child and six to 60 months for the single felony count of corruption of minors for a total of 276 to 720 months. He was also ordered to pay a fine of $200 for each count, totaling $1,400 in fines.

Kagarise said Kennedy was entitled to time served from Feb. 24, 2024.

Outside court, Smith said she was pleased that Kagarise sentenced Kennedy to “over two decades at a minimum.”

“This case was especially appalling given he tried to make the victim feel at fault,” Smith said.

She lauded Altoona police and Heuston for coming to support the victim and “caring so deeply about the community.”

Court documents state Altoona police learned of Kennedy’s abuse in February 2023, when the then-18-year-old victim reported him for sexual assaults that began from the time he was about 8 or 9 years old.

The victim said Kennedy initially provided him with money and gifts so he could see the boy’s genitals. The bribes and assaults would then continue, especially when Kennedy was intoxicated, according to the affidavit.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.