Sep 12, 2012 2 min read

A Connellsville man was deemed a sexually violent predator Wednesday in Fayette County Court.

As a result, Anthony French, 45, will be subject to a lifetime of registering his address with police on a quarterly basis, community notification and a lifetime of counseling.

He pleaded guilty to indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor and harassment in March, and was sentenced to nine to 23 months in prison. He was paroled in August, but because of the nature of his crimes, he was interviewed by Herbert Hays, a member of the state’s Sexual Offender Assessment Board.

Hayes testified that French fit the criteria of a sexually violent predator based on prior convictions – including one in 2003 for unlawful contact with a minor – and other factors, like a diagnosis of impulse control disorder. Hays said French fit into the definition of paraphelia, which is sexual attraction that is outside of what is normal.

“Mr. French appears to have a sexual attraction to male juveniles,” Hays testified under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Linda Cordaro.

In this case, French was charged after a 12-year-old boy reported that French asked to join in a pickup game of football last September, and groped the child.

For more information, read Thursday’s HeraldStandard.com.