Joshua Moran

A North Codorus Township man accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old mentally handicapped girl must spend at least four years in prison.

Joshua Adrian Moran, 37, formerly of Krafts Mill Road, pleaded no contest in July to aggravated indecent assault and corruption of someone over 18 years of age.

Defendants who plead no contest aren't admitting guilt. Rather, they are saying they won't contest the charges against them. Otherwise, a no-contest plea has the same effect as a guilty plea.

On Wednesday, Moran was sentenced to four to 10 years in prison, plus five years of probation, according to senior deputy prosecutor Seth Bortner.

He pleaded no contest because he wasn't willing to admit guilt, according to Bortner, who said he agreed to the plea because it wasn't worth the risk of taking the case to trial.

The 12-year-old girl is unable to speak, Bortner said, which "severely hampered" his ability to prosecute Moran.

The girl's family approved of the resolution, he said.

After being released from prison, Moran will have to register as a sexual offender with state police for the rest of his life, Bortner said.