Man Gets Jail For Sex Assault of 12-Year-Old Bensalem Girl

BENSALEM, PA — A Philadelphia man will spend up to two years in jail for sexually abusing a 12-year-old girl in Bensalem.

Decosten M. Strother, 47, was sentenced Tuesday to a sentence of one day less than a year to one day less than two years on a count of third-degree felony corruption of minors. He also will be supervised for 10 years.

On July 10, a jury convicted Strother on that charge, as well as charges of unlawful contact with a minor and indecent assault.

The charges stemmed from Strother's sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl in September 2018.

"Instead of treating her like the lovely young lady that she is, he treated her like a piece of meat, like a sexual conquest," said Bucks County Deputy District Attorney Kate Kohler.

Kohler commended Strother's victim for coming forward and urged Judge Brian T. McGuffin to send a message with Strother's sentencing.

"When you do the hard thing, when you do the brave thing, justice will be served," she said. "And it will not be for nothing."

McGuffin imposed two five-year terms of probation to run concurrent to and after Strother's prison term. Strother also must register as a sex offender for 25 years. McGuffin vowed to send Strother to state prison if he violates any condition of his supervision.

The judge also praised the girl's "wisdom and sensibility."

"This incident will not define you," he said. "You are going to go on to do wonderful things."