HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced that a Carbon County man was sentenced to an additional 9 – 24 months in prison for sexually assaulting a student while employed at Behavioral Health Associates, an academic school in Tamaqua, Schuylkill County. Jordan Beggan, 27, of Palmerton, will also serve a concurrent sentence of 6 months – 1 year for furnishing alcohol to minors.
The defendant is currently serving a 22 – 72 month state prison sentence for a previous conviction of engaging in unlawful contact with and disseminating sexual materials to another minor separate from this case.
The defendant began working as an Instructional Assistant at Behavioral Health Associates in November 2015. Beginning in the spring of 2016, he would pick up the victim, who was then 16 years old and a student at Behavioral Health Associates, and take him for drives in his car. On two occasions, the defendant inappropriately touched the child during these rides. He also shared beer with the victim. Beggan was charged in February 2018 and pled guilty to Institutional Sexual Assault and Furnishing Alcohol to a Minor.
“The defendant used his position of power at a school to abuse a student,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “This also wasn’t the first time he preyed on a minor – and now thanks to the outstanding work of our Child Predator Section, he will stay behind bars, far away from children and with felony convictions that will stick with him for life. My Office will continue to prosecute anyone who abuses children to the fullest extent of the law.”
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Angela Raver in Schuylkill County Court. Individuals who suspect an online predator or abuse are encouraged to call the Child Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044 or text “PAKIDS” followed by the tip to 847411.
# # #