Becker

A former school janitor already serving a five-year prison sentence in Maryland for purported child molestation must serve even more jail time, a York County judge ordered.

On Wednesday, Barry Burnell Becker, 66, was sentenced by Common Pleas Judge Gregory M. Snyder to 21 months to 14 years in state prison.

The sentence will run consecutively to his Maryland prison term, Snyder ordered.

Also at Wednesday's hearing, Becker was deemed to be a sexually violent predator under Pennsylvania's Megan's Law.

"Because he was found to be a sexually violent predator, he's required to register (with the state) for his entire lifetime," senior deputy prosecutor Seth Bortner said.

That means once he's released from prison, Becker will have to go to a state police barracks or sheriff's department four times a year to be photographed and to confirm his home address, Bortner said.

Guilty plea: Becker pleaded guilty in October to his York County charges of indecent assault of a child less than 16 years old, corruption of a minor and unlawful contact with a minor, according to the prosecutor.

It was an open plea, meaning there was no agreement negotiated with the district attorney's office, Bortner said.

"He had a relationship with (a girl) that lasted for several years, starting when she was about 13, that included a lot of touching and groping, and (him) masturbating in her presence," Bortner said.

But defense attorney Chris Ferro said although Becker admitted to indecently assaulting the girl, he maintains the conduct went on for only a short period of time.

"The number of times (it happened) and the duration of the conduct was greatly exaggerated," Ferro said. "He was forthright, and he acknowledged committing the offense, though on a far more limited basis than what was alleged by the victim."

Md. case: Becker's Maryland case involved the same girl, according to Bortner. Court documents indicate Becker took the girl to his condo in Ocean City, Md.

In that case, Becker entered an Alford plea in October 2010. An Alford plea is similar to a no-contest plea, in that defendants aren't admitting guilt but acknowledge prosecutors have enough evidence to convict.

The York County offenses happened at Becker's former home in the 900 block of Locust Grove Road in Windsor Township between January 2005 and December 2009, documents state.

Charges were filed on Jan. 14, 2010.

School janitor: Becker was employed by Eastern York School district as a substitute, on-call custodian from Oct. 21, 2009, to Jan. 14, 2010, according to district spokeswoman Carla Myers.

Bortner and Ferro said there have never been any allegations that Becker had inappropriate contact with students in the district.

"I think he is a man who lived the first 60 years of his life in a good, upstanding way," Ferro said. "He made a horrible mistake and now will suffer the consequences, both in prison and out of prison, for the rest of his life."

- Reach Elizabeth Evans at levans@yorkdispatch.com, 505-5429 or twitter.com/ydcrimetime.