News

Man sentenced to over 100 years in state prison for more than 1,000 charges of sex offenses against minors

Timothy Darren Stroud Sr., 58, who was convicted of 39 sex assault charges in April, was sentenced to 120 years and nine months to 241 years and six months in state prison by Lycoming County President Judge Eric Linhardt Friday, PennLive.com reported.

Linhardt also found Stroud to be a sexually violent predator following testimony from psychologist C. Townsend Velkoff, who said Stroud had exploited children of both genders for decades.

Velkoff testified Stroud had engaged in sex when he was 8 or 9, watched pornography with victims, used marijuana and provided it to at least one victim, while finding no evidence of mental illness, and stressing a risk of re-offending if released, PennLive.com said.

Citing the deep damage caused to his victims, Yates had argued for a consecutive sentence on each count in the aggravated range of the applicable guidelines.

That damage factored into Linhardt's sentence, along with Stroud's lack of remorse and concern for others, the likelihood of re-offending and perjured trial testimony, referring to his claims of innocence as "absolutely absurd," the news outlet said.

Any lesser sentence would depreciate the gravity of the charges, the impact on the victims and the need to protect the public, Linhardt said.

An investigation stemming from a phone tip police received in December 2022 resulted in Stroud being charged with more than 1,000 sex offenses against five minors, whose ages ranged from 4 to 17 years old when the abuse occurred during a period ranging from 1992 to 2018.

All five victims testified on the first day of the trial, with two of them traveling from out of state to do so.

Several of the counts were consolidated, resulting in the 39 guilty verdicts, Deputy District Attorney Phoebe Yates explained, while stressing that that consolidation does not lessen the severity or number of acts carried out by Stroud.

Among those the jury of seven men and five women convicted Stroud of were multiple counts each of rape of a person less than 13-years-old, rape by forcible compulsion, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a person less than 13-years-old, unlawful contact with a minor, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault, corruption of minors, endangering the welfare of children and indecent exposure.

The sentence imposed by Linhardt reflected the wishes of the victims, who either spoke or had statements read for them at the proceedings, PennLive.com reported.

The "inexcusable things" done by Stroud "destroyed my entire childhood" one female victim told the judge, calling Stroud a "disgusting individual," the news organization said.

Another victim accused Stroud of taking advantage of children and being a liar his entire life.

One victim impact statement read aloud in court said Stroud made her scared of everyone and she continues to have nightmares, calling for the "pedophile" to be put in jail the rest of his life.

Through a separate statement, another victim stated that she has been battling demons for 15 years and at times thought about ending her life, PennLive.com reported.

Calling Stroud a "monster," she said she would not want anyone else to go through what she did.

In a surprise move, Stroud took the stand during his trial in April, in an effort to fend off the charges, which defense attorney Tyler Calkins said was the only option when facing such "heinous offenses."

Stroud, however, chose not to participate in the process to determine if he was a sexually violent predator, and said nothing before being sentenced, though Calkins stressed that Stroud maintains his innocence, according to PennLive.com.

Stroud is forbidden from having contact with the victims or their families, must register as a sex offender, pay restitution of $560, and he will serve three years of probation should he ever get out of prison, PennLive.com reported.

Stroud is currently scheduled for trial on nearly 50 counts of possession of child sexual abuse material on Sept. 22.

It was too early to say if prosecution will proceed given the sentence Stroud received, Yates said, according to PennLive.com.