WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — Eric A. Wright, 50, of Allegheny Township, Westmoreland County, was sentenced to 73 years Monday for multiple sexual assaults, including rape.
Several of the women who Wright was convicted of assaulting asked Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio to hand down a harsh sentence, saying they feared he would continue to hurt others if freed, Channel 11 news partner the Tribune-Review reports.
The judge imposed consecutive sentences in Wright’s conviction. He was sentenced to 36 1/2 to 73 years in a state prison followed by nine years of probation.
“These were numerous, violent, brazen sexual assaults over a period of many years,” Bilik-DeFazio said. “I find you to show a lack of remorse.”
In April, a Westmoreland judge found Wright guilty of the sex assaults that prosecutors said dated to the early 2000s. In all, he was convicted of 24 charges, including multiple counts of rape, indecent assault, sexual assault and other offenses in six cases.
Prosecutors said Wright raped a then-12-year-old girl. He also was accused of raping a woman when she was a teen. Two other women testified they were raped by Wright. A fifth accuser said she was molested by Wright as a teen more than a decade ago. Another woman told jurors Wright exposed himself to her in a local business.
Wright, who has maintained his innocence throughout the court process, testified on his own behalf during trial. He said he plans to appeal.
“There’s supposed to be liberty and justice for all, that includes me,” the Trib reports Wright said.
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