Man sentenced to 17-48 years in prison in drug and sex case | News, Sports, Jobs

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A Tyrone man convicted in August of crimes that unfolded in 2021 and 2022 while trading marijuana for sex with teenagers was sentenced Friday in Blair County court to a minimum of 17 years and four months in prison.

Paul Robert Holpit, 26, said he maintained his innocence in court and made a veiled apology before being sentenced.

“I don’t want these girls to forgive me for something I didn’t do, and I can’t show remorse for something I didn’t do,” Holpit told President Judge Wade A. Kagarise. “But if I did something, if I hurt anyone, I’m sorry.”

Kagarise, who imposed a maximum sentence of 48 years in prison for Holpit’s conviction, told the young girls who came to court that she understood how difficult it was to come forward.

Trial testimony revealed that the teens bought marijuana from Holpit, and when they didn’t have money to pay, Holpit enticed them into sexual activities such as oral sex, video phone calls and the exchange of sexually explicit photos.

After hearing the arguments and seeing photographs during Holpit’s trial, the jury convicted him of 82 counts; these include human trafficking, solicitation of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse with a child, possession of child pornography, production of child pornography, unlawful contact with a minor, dissemination of obscene sexual material to minor and related crimes.

One of the victims said in a statement read in court on Friday that he felt as if someone had lifted a bag of bricks off his chest as the verdicts were read.

“This is all I’ve wanted for the last three years: to be believed in what happened to me, what happened to all of us,” the victim, now 20, said.

Another victim said she became emotional every time she tried to address the issue and had to find the strength to speak.

“We’re doing this because he needs to be locked up for a long time, and I can’t stress that enough,” he said.

The mother of the two victims told Kagarise that she saw the emotional damage from Holpit’s interactions with her daughters and his efforts to hold her accountable.

“None of this has been easy,” the mother said.

Kagarise asked the victims to relax a bit, acknowledging that their role in the legal process largely resulted in the sentencing. He also sought solace in the outcome of the trial.

“The jury in this case found your testimony credible,” Kagarise said. “And this court believes the jury verdict was appropriate.”

First Assistant District Attorney Nichole Smith asked Kagarise to impose a sentence of 69 years and three months to 137 years and six months in prison, based on 82 counts imposed on eight victims.

In the courtroom, Holpit bristled at the advice.

“I’m only 26,” he told the judge. “Sixty-nine years?”

Defense attorney Joseph Addink recommended a sentence of six to 15 years, reflecting a pattern of behavior involving eight different girls and his client’s minimal criminal history.

Addink also asked the judge to acknowledge in a sentencing memorandum that Holpit was 23 at the time of the crimes.

“This is a case of a young man who found himself in a position where girls were seeking him out and paying attention to him because he was selling marijuana, which led to him wanting more from his relationship with them,” Addink said. .

One of the victims accused him of taking advantage of her.

“You knew my weaknesses and used them to manipulate me,” he said.

Trial testimony revealed one of the teens decided to tell Tyrone police and Tyrone Regional High School staff about what was happening to Holpit in the spring of 2022 after hearing that Holpit wanted to have sex with a 12-year-old girl. .

According to the sentencing orders, Holpit will be a Tier III sex offender who must register his identity and related information with state police for the rest of his life upon release from prison.

Kagarise included a clause in Holpit’s sentencing decision recommending that when considering his release, the state parole and probation board should evaluate his need for sex offender treatment and notify all victims so they have the opportunity to comment.

While Kagarise imposed a lesser sentence than Smith requested, he said the time the judge gave before the court provided a long period of protection for the victims.

He also said he hoped the Tyrone community would show them compassion.

“In our criminal justice system, a jury of 12 people listened to these girls and decided that they were telling the truth,” the prosecutor said. “None of the girls have anything to gain in return for coming forward… and none of this has been easy.”

Holpit stated in court that he wanted to be actively involved in the appeal process. He also talked about his desire to move away from the area after being released from prison.

Outside court the mother expressed her disappointment with the sentence.

“He still has a lot to heal and 17 years is not enough for him,” the mother said. “We were sentenced to life imprisonment”

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens at 814-946-7456.