A Lancaster sex offender who preyed on three girls, physically abusing two of them, will get no relief from his decades-long prison sentence.
Timothy D. Anderson requested relief, arguing his prosecution was flawed because it involved an illegal search of his cellphone.
On Monday, the Pennsylvania Superior Court denied that claim, meaning Anderson will serve a 30-to-60-year prison term.
County Judge James Cullen ordered that sentence in 2012, calling Anderson “a threat to every young woman in this community.”
Anderson, now 43, was charged with sexually assaulting two girls and attempting to abuse a third girl – all ages 14 and 15.
He took all three cases to trials and was convicted at all three.
Anderson communicated with three victims over the internet and telephone in 2008 and 2009.
One girl told her parents, who called police. An undercover agent with the state attorney general's office then posed as the girl, ultimately leading to Anderson's arrest.
In his challenge, Anderson argued that evidence gathered from his cellphone required a search warrant. (Anderson used his phone to photograph two of the girls.)
The appellate court, agreeing with Judge Cullen who previously denied an initial request for relief, wrote that police had the necessary warrant to search the cellphone.
MEDIA CONTACT: Brett A. Hambright, 717-295-2041; bhambright@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @BrettHambright