Convicted former youth minister declared violent sexual predator and handed 12 to 24 year prison sentence, by Howard Sheppard, Fox 43 (December 22, 2014)

Convicted former youth minister declared violent sexual predator and handed 12 to 24 year prison sentence

By Howard Sheppard
Fox 43
December 22, 2014

http://fox43.com/2014/12/22/convicted-former-youth-minister-declared-violent-sexual-predator-and-handed-12-to-24-year-prison-sentence/

Joshua Markelwitz

DAUPHIN COUNTY, PA (WPMT) Dauphin County Judge Richard A. Lewis sentenced former youth minister and a former Dauphin County Domestic Relations Officer, Joshua Markelwitz, of Enola, to 12 years to 24 years in a state prison for charges stemming from his sexual molestation of a minor. Prior to sentencing Judge Lewis classified Markelwitz a Sexually Violent Predator under Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law statute.
Markelwitz, 28, met his victim and her family through his church when she was about 11 years old. Markelwitz was a youth leader at the church and her guitar teacher when he began molesting her. He molested the victim on numerous occasions over the period of approximately 3 years. The victim reported the abuse to the police when she was 15 years old.
During the course of the investigation another teenage victim, from Cumberland County, came forward indicating that Markelwitz also had a sexual relationship with her. Markelwitz met the Cumberland County victim when he was a volunteer with her high school band. Markelwitz began a sexual relationship with her after she turned 16 years old. Charges related to the Cumberland County case were consolidated into the Dauphin County prosecution. Markelwitz also admitted to charges related to the Cumberland County victim when he pleaded guilty before Dauphin County Judge Richard A. Lewis back on June 5, 2014.
Markelwitz was sentenced on the following charges: Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse, Aggravated Indecent Assault, Indecent Assault, Indecent Exposure, Sexual Abuse of Children, Unlawful Contact with Minors, Corruption of Minors and Furnishing Alcohol to Minors. In addition to the prison sentence a consecutive term of 8 years of probation supervision was the result of a negotiated plea agreement. The victims gave their approval to the plea agreement prior to Markelwitz’s guilty plea in June.

By agreeing to plead guilty, Markelwitz spared his victims from having to testify in this case