HOLLIDAYSBURG — The former Bellwood-Antis School District wrestling coach who pleaded guilty in July to raping and sexually assaulting a girl with whom he resided was found to be a sexually violent predator following an evaluation by the state Sexual Offender’s Assessment Board.

Ryan Blazier, 45, appeared by video call from the State Correctional Institution at Greene for the sexually violent predator hearing in Blair County Court on Friday afternoon.

The evaluation was part of his plea agreement to charges related to a state police investigation that found Blazier raped and sexually assaulted the victim when she was between 3 and 8 years old, from February 2014 to October 2018.

During Friday’s hearing, Julia Lindemuth, who evaluated Blazier, said that based on the totality of evidence in the case and her own interview with Blazier, it was her professional opinion that he met the criteria for pedophilic disorder, non-exclusive type.

Despite Blazier pleading guilty to the felony charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault, among others, he maintained his innocence, Lindemuth said.

“Denial and minimization is fairly common,” Lindemuth said. “It is especially common when someone is still involved in the legal system.”

What an assessment board member looks for during an evaluation is a “pattern of behavior,” Lindemuth said, noting that for a “paraphilic disorder” this means incidents occurring over a period of six months or longer.

As Blazier’s sexual abuse of the female juvenile lasted about five years, he is a “prolonged offender,” Lindemuth said.

According to Lindemuth, pedophilic disorder is a lifetime condition.

Combined with the facts of the case, Lindemuth said Blazier is a sexually violent predator.

When questioned by Blazier’s defense attorney Joseph Addink on if Blazier indicated any sexual deviancy during his interview, Lindemuth said “no.”

Through further questioning by Addink, Lindemuth confirmed that she didn’t see any other mental illnesses or abnormalities in Blazier’s personality when he was interviewed.

Following the conclusion of testimony, Addink told presiding Senior Judge Richard A. Lewis of Dauphin County that he would like time to get the transcripts from Blazier’s guilty plea to form an argument against his designation as a sexually violent predator.

Lewis, who is retiring at the end of the year, granted the request but under a tight timeline. He ordered Addink and First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith to have their arguments submitted by end-of-day Dec. 26 and said his ruling on the matter would be handed down by Dec. 31.

Blazier is serving four to eight years in state prison, followed by two years’ probation in the case.

In an October 2021 jury trial, Blazier was convicted of sexually assaulting two student wrestlers and subsequently sentenced to 21 to 42 years in state prison.

Blazier’s next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 20.

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