WILKES-BARRE – Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that Luzerne County man Richard Garnett was found guilty of sexual assault and child endangerment charges after a four-day trial.
Garnett was previously a director of a church youth group and sexually abused a young boy in the church basement between 2004 and 2006. He was found guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, indecent sexual assault, statutory sexual assault, endangering the welfare of children and corruption of minors.
A sentencing date is scheduled for Dec. 21.
“This defendant used his position as an educator and leader within the church to exploit vulnerable children,” Attorney General Sunday said. “I commend the bravery of the survivor who came forward about these crimes, and am grateful for the dedication of the investigators and prosecutors who fought for justice. I hope this verdict provides some comfort for those harmed.”
The investigation conducted by Pennsylvania State Police found that Garnett was the “Games Director” for the church’s youth programs, which provided him access to children of all ages.
According to trial testimony, the boy remembered being in first or second grade when Garnett would take him out of the classroom and into a dark room in the basement, where Garnett would sexually assault him.
He believed this happened at least three times during a two-year period. He also told police that after one assault, Garnett made him wash his hands, instructed him not to tell anyone and told him “God would want you to do this.”
Garnett has previous convictions for the sexual assault of two girls, which he pleaded guilty to in 2021 and was sentenced to a minimum of six years in prison.
This case was prosecuted by Chief Deputy Attorney General Angela Sperrazza and Deputy Attorney General Mary Phillips of the Office of Attorney General’s Child Predator Section.
###