Schwenksville man faces prison for child rape

NORRISTOWN >> A Schwenksville man is on his way to prison for sexually assaulting a teenage girl on multiple occasions while she was in his company.

Jose Antonio Rivera, 50, of the first block of Pennypacker Drive, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 8-to-16-years in a state correctional facility on charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child under 16 years old, unlawful contact with a minor and corruption of a minor in connection with incidents that occurred between 2016 and 2017 when the girl was 14 and 15 years old.

Judge Todd D. Eisenberg also ordered Rivera to complete 10 years’ probation following parole, meaning Rivera will be under court supervision for 26 years.

Rivera pleaded guilty to the charges earlier this year, shortly before a jury was to be selected for his trial.

Rivera faces a lifetime requirement to report his address to state police in order to comply with Pennsylvania’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act.

Assistant District Attorney Bridget C. Gallagher argued for a lengthy prison term against Rivera.

“The crime was clearly predatory, controlling. He displayed physical violence as well as psychological compulsion to complete the crime,” Gallagher alleged. “It’s clear that he needs to be away for a very long time so that hopefully he can’t hurt anybody else.”

Gallagher described the victim as courageous for coming forward and said her life was permanently impacted by the events.

“This kind of crime has permanent effects on victims. It’s something she’ll have to deal with the rest of her life. Hopefully, with proper treatment and therapy she’ll be able to move on. But it’s definitely something that has lasting effects,” Gallagher said.

Defense lawyer Douglas L. Dolfman previously told the judge Rivera has no prior criminal record.

An investigation began in December 2017, when Rivera’s wife reported to state police at Skippack that she became aware that Rivera had sexual contact with a teenage girl while the girl was in Rivera’s company.

When police interviewed the girl, she said Rivera’s conduct included kissing her when she was 14 years old and later escalated to other inappropriate conduct, including various sexual acts, when she was in his company on multiple occasions, according to the criminal complaint filed by state police Trooper Jerrold Hatfield.

“She was instructed by Jose Rivera that if anyone questioned her regarding these incidents she should deny them and say they were not true,” Hatfield alleged in the criminal complaint.

The girl told police Rivera also asked her to send him nude photographs utilizing her cellphone and a social networking site, according to the arrest affidavit.

“The crime was clearly predatory, controlling.” - Montgomery County Prosecutor Bridget Gallagher

Jose Antonio Rivera