Pocono News Section

Scranton Man Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Children

Scranton Man Sentenced for Sexually Assaulting Children - Monday, May 18, 2009 at 6:20PM EST

SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - A Scranton man is going to prison for sexually assaulting three young children. John Rodney, 47, was sentenced Monday afternoon to spend between 7 1/2 and 20 years in state prison.
Right before the sentence was handed down, the judge told Rodney he committed horrendous, repetitive acts.

"He told them (his victims) to keep it quiet. He threatened them. He played upon their sympathies and their loyalties to him," Assistant District Attorney Michelle Olshefski said.

The 47-year-old was arrested late last year. Rodney admitted sexually assaulting the kids and bribing them to keep them silent. The abuse lasted for seven years.

"He waived money in their faces and tried to normalize the conduct by giving them cash in exchange for sexual favors. He might as well been waiving new clothes, bikes in front of them," Olshefski said.

In court, Rodney's lawyer argued his client was not in the right state of mind.

"I think it was a fair sentence regarding all the allegations and the situation Mr. Rodney was involved in," public defender Jaime Dench said.

In court, Rodney apologized to his three young victims. He said he hopes they're getting the counseling that they need, but prosecutors didn't buy the apology.

"I don' think he felt so much remorse for these children as he felt for himself and the situation that he finds himself in," Olshefski said.

"I can tell just by how he's always talking about the victims and how they get counseling properly and if he could take it back, he would," Dench said.

Rodney isn't alone in his troubles. His son, who's also named John, was sentenced earlier this year to at least five years in prison for also sexually assaulting a young boy in 2006.

Both Rodney's have also been ruled sexually violent predators under Megan's Law.