“You are a sex offender. That does not change because someone wishes that away.”

That was part of President Judge Maureen Skerda’s sentence handed down to Douglas A. Maruca, 20, Tiona, on Friday. Maruca was sentenced on charges of aggravated indecent assault and corruption of minors that will land him in state prison for at least two more years.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Maruca allegedly sexually assaulted two girls on separate occasions about a week apart in August 2020.

The Pennsylvania State Police said the younger victim reported during a forensic interview that Maruca allegedly assaulted her while she slept and she woke up to the assault.

The older victim told police Maruca allegedly assaulted her while she was awake and that, although she didn’t tell him to stop, she “was uncomfortable and scared… didn’t know what to do,” and it “made her sick.”

An adult relative of one of the alleged victims told police he had spoken to Maruca after he learned of the alleged assault. According to the affidavit, Maruca told him he didn’t know why he had touched the girl, but, “I’m sorry I did it.”

Public Defender Francis Waweru said his client is “apologetic” and “knows what he did is wrong,” asking for leniency for his client.

The mother of the older victim took the stand and said that she and the victim are asking for Maruca to be released.

“(We) both feel he has definitely done his time,” she said. “As a mother, he still has a whole life ahead of him.”

She said they also don’t want Maruca to have to register as a sexual offender. She also presented a statement from the victim.

Greene said that the Commonwealth is supportive of victims but said he “wholeheartedly disagree(s)” with the mother. He said that when he met with her it was “turning my stomach” that she was almost blaming her daughter.

“For a mother to almost take the side of the defendant… a 19-year-old should know better” than to assault a 12-year-old and 14-year-old.

Maruca said he is “sorry for what I did. It was very wrong.” He said he’s trying to become a better person.

Skerda said he picked up two misconducts in the jail — one for hitting someone in the face and the other for stomping on toothpaste on the floor.

She emphasized that the charges from his conduct were “not one incident” but two victims over the period of a month.

Maruca confirmed to Skerda that the victims were known to him.

Skerda said it is “apparent to the court (there are) issues you need to address.

“You are a sex offender. That does not change because someone wishes that away,” she added. “You are a lifetime registrant under Megan’s Law.

She then sentenced to Maruca to 29 to 58 months incarceration in state prison with credit for 386 days time served, $825 in fines and fees, a mental health evaluation and compliance with recommendations, three years probation, sex offender treatment and submission of a DNA sample. He was sentenced to an additional three to 16 months incarceration and ordered to have no contact with either victim on a count of corruption of minors, which, as a Tier I offense, carries a 15 year registration period.