A Yardley man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl who had been raped repeatedly as a young child was sentenced Monday to serve seven and one-half to 20 years in state prison.
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Dennis Frye, 51, was aware of the Middletown girl’s traumatic past when he gained access to her by offering childcare assistance to her mother, who was struggling with mental health issues, as noted by officials. Frye then molested and solicited sex from the minor girl, whose father is serving more than 20 years in prison for raping her over a period of several years.
Deputy District Attorney Kate Kohler said Frye had targeted the victim, now 15, despite knowing that she was suicidal and was cutting her arms and legs to cope with her emotional pain.
According to court records, Frye bought the girl a cell phone and used it to send her sexually explicit messages. He told her he loved her and wanted to marry her, repeatedly fondled and groped her, asked her for sex, and angrily threatened to take away her phone when the girl refused.
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“I didn’t see how inappropriate it was,” the victim said in a written statement that was read in court. “I just saw a dad figure who was there for me and loved me. I now realize that it was just a form of manipulation, but that breaks my heart because all my life I have tried so hard to be perfect just so I could get love and affection I needed.”
According to court records, Frye began sexually targeting the victim shortly after her father was convicted and sentenced for sexual assault.
Frye said he “never meant for things to get out of hand,” saying the victim will “never know how much” he is sorry. Frye’s attorney asserted that he wants to be treated for his issues and “get the help he needs”.
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Frye pleaded guilty to statutory sexual assault for soliciting sex from the girl, as well as unlawful contact with a minor, criminal use of a communications facility, and indecent assault on a victim less than 16 years of age.
The judge imposed consecutive prison sentences for each offense: 33 to 96 months for both the statutory sexual assault and unlawful contact with a minor; 18 to 36 months for criminal use of a communications facility; and six to 12 months for indecent assault – calling Frye a “monster”.
McHugh ordered Frye to undergo sex offender treatment in prison and to have no contact with the victim – or any unsupervised contact with anyone under 18 – after being released.
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