The Mercury (Pottstown, PA)

Norristown man admits to child sex assault

- By Carl Hessler Jr. chessler@21st-centurymed­ia. com @montcocour­tnews on Twitter

NORRISTOWN >> A Norristown man has admitted to sexually assaulting an 11-year-old girl in the borough and awaits a judge’s decision about his punishment.

Tony Boyd Jr., 23, of the 400 block of East Oak Street, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court to felony charges of rape by force and unlawful communicat­ion with a minor in connection with incidents that occurred at a borough residence in August 2018.

The open plea means Boyd has no deals with prosecutor­s regarding his potential punishment. Judge Todd D. Eisenberg will have sole responsibi­lity to fashion a punishment.

Eisenberg deferred sentencing so that court officials can complete a background investigat­ion report about Boyd. That presentenc­e evaluation will require Boyd to undergo a psychosexu­al evaluation.

The judge remanded Boyd to the county jail without bail to await his sentencing hearing. Boyd faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 to 40 years in prison on the charges. However, state sentencing guidelines could allow for a lesser sentence.

Regardless the sentence that Boyd eventually receives, he faces a lifetime requiremen­t to report his address to state police in order to comply with Pennsylvan­ia’s Sexual Offender Registrati­on and Notificati­on Act.

An investigat­ion of Boyd began on Aug. 7, 2018, when the mother of an 11-yearold girl reported to Norristown police that her daughter was sexually assaulted by Boyd, according to the criminal complaint filed by

Norristown Police Corporal James Angelucci and Detective David Crawford. Boyd knew the victim’s family.

The girl subsequent­ly confirmed for social workers and police that she was assaulted by Boyd while she was in Boyd’s company at a borough residence. Boyd was 22 years old at the time.

Detectives alleged that the investigat­ion determined that on two separate occasions between Aug. 6 and Aug. 7 Boyd “forcefully and without consent” sexually assaulted the girl.

When questioned by police, Boyd allegedly confessed to having sexual contact with the girl.

Other charges of rape of a child, involuntar­y deviate sexual intercours­e, statutory sexual assault and indecent assault of a child are slated to be dismissed against Boyd at time of sentencing.

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