by peter e. bortner
A Bradford County man is headed to state prison after he admitted Wednesday in Schuylkill County Court that he indecently assaulted a girl in 2007 in Kline Township.
Ted M. Vanderkarr, 40, of Towanda, pleaded guilty to indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors, with prosecutors withdrawing an additional count of indecent assault, two counts of aggravated indecent assault and one each of rape of a child and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.
President Judge William E. Baldwin, who accepted Vanderkarr's plea, did not immediately sentence him. Instead, he ordered the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to evaluate Vanderkarr to determine whether he is a sexually violent predator, which would subject him to lifetime Megan's Law sanctions.
Baldwin said he would schedule Vanderkarr's sentencing after the board completes its evaluation of the defendant.
Under the terms of Van-derkarr's plea agreement with prosecutors, he is to be sentenced to 2 1/2 to five years in a state correctional institution.
Kline Township police charged Vanderkarr with assaulting the child between June 1, 2007, and Aug. 31, 2007, in an apartment in the township.
District Attorney Karen Byrnes-Noon said the victim was a 6-year-old girl.
At Vanderkarr's June 26 preliminary hearing, the victim testified that the defendant touched her inappropriately on three separate occasions, twice on a couch in the living room and once in a bed.
Police also said the defendant told his wife that the allegations against him were true.
Vanderkarr said little during Wednesday's hearing except that his plea was voluntary and that he understood the charges against him.
After the hearing, Vanderkarr returned to the county prison, where he is being held on $50,0000 straight cash bail pending his sentencing.Defendant: Ted M. Vanderkarr
Age: 40
Residence: Towanda
Crimes committed: Indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors