Court weighs whether to rule man sexually violent predator
A member of Pennsylvania’s Sexual Offender Assessment Board (SOAB) testified Monday in Fayette County Court that a 41-year-old Star Junction man convicted of rape fit the criteria for a sexually violent predator. In May, Michael George Protos was convicted in Fayette County Court of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault and indecent assault for alleged abuses to a girl over 10 years.
SOAB member Herbert Hays testified that Protos has the two defining qualities of a sexually violent predator under Megan’s Law. Hays said Protos has a mental abnormality and exhibited predatory behavior with the girl he abused.
Under questioning from District Attorney Nancy D. Vernon, Hays testified that Protos has “paraphilia not otherwise specified,” a condition in which a person’s sexual arousal and gratification depend on atypical or extreme sexual behaviors.
The predatory behavior, Hays testified, is marked by Protos threatening the girl if she told anyone, the repeated assaults and other things. To find that Protos exhibited predatory behavior, Hays testified that he had to believe that Protos cultivated a relationship with the girl so that he could abuse her.
Judge Ralph C. Warman will make the ultimate determination as to whether Protos is a sexually violent predator. That designation can mean notification when Protos is released from prison, lifetime counseling and lifetime check-ins with police.
Warman delayed his determination, however, at the request of Protos’ attorney, Mark Mehalov. The defense attorney asked for a continuance so he could hire his own expert to examine Protos to determine if he is sexually violent.
Warman agreed to the continuance, and will pick up the hearing and sentence Protos on Oct. 1.
The victim in the case told police that Protos started abusing her when she was 7 years old, and started raping her when she was in eighth grade.
The Herald-Standard does not identify victims in sex assault cases.
The sexual assaults all occurred at different locations in Perry Township beginning in 1996 and ending in 2006.