Men face 10 years in prison for rapes

Two children were raped in separate but similar cases.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- One man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping a 5-year-old boy, while another man in an unrelated case pleaded guilty to raping a 4- or 5-year-old girl.
Judge David Tobin of Columbiana County Common Pleas Court imposed the sentence Friday on Joshua Archer, 22, of Ambridge, Pa.
Archer was indicted in January on one count of rape with a force specification and an age specification that the victim was less than 10 years old. The charge is a first-degree felony.
He was accused of raping a boy, then 5, on Dec. 13, 2004, in Liverpool Township.
The specifications were dropped in a plea agreement that reduced Archer's possible sentence from 25 years to 10 years.
The mother of the victim read a statement in court saying the boy is hurt and on medication as a result of the attack.
The mother added that her family was amazed at Archer's act and is, "trying to figure out what happened."
Archer had no criminal record as an adult or a juvenile. He recently has been diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, whose symptoms include disorganization and restlessness.
Archer said he had nothing to say before being sentenced.
Judge's remarks
Judge Tobin said he found it extremely disturbing that the act took place in the upstairs of a house while the victim's mother was downstairs.
"I think crimes like this cause serious psychological and serious physical harm," the judge said. "I can't think of a worse form of this crime."
Judge Tobin imposed the maximum sentence and labeled Archer a sexual predator who will have to register his home address with authorities after he is released from prison.
William Warner, 30, of Youngstown, pleaded guilty Friday before Judge Tobin to one count of rape with an age specification, a first-degree felony. The age specification was dropped, which means he faces up to 10 years in prison.
He was accused of engaging in oral sex with a girl in Washingtonville sometime in 2003 or 2004. The victim would have been age 5, or possibly age 4.
Assistant County Prosecutor Timothy J. McNicol said the crime was, like Archer's, a single offense. The dates in the indictment were broad because investigators were unable determine the exact day of the offense.
Warner will be sentenced at a later date.
wilkinson@vindy.com