Hempfield man pleads guilty to sex assault of teen

A Hempfield man was ordered to serve up to 12 years in prison for the sexual assault of a teenage girl.

Michael Flowers, 25, pleaded guilty Thursday to one felony count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse related a sexual encounter with a then 13-year-old girl in 2017.

According to court records, Flowers’ accuser initially claimed she was sexually assaulted three times, once at a Latrobe funeral home, another incident at a Hempfield park and another in a home.

Police said Flowers denied the incidents at the funeral home and park, but conceded they engaged in sexual contact at the Hempfield home and acknowledged that he knew his accuser was underage.

Prosecutors dismissed four counts related to alleged sexual assaults as part of the plea bargain. Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger sentenced Flowers to serve 5 1/2 to 12 years in prison. Flowers will also have a lifetime requirement to register as a convicted sex offender.

In a separate case, Flowers pleaded guilty making terroristic threats and harassment in connection with an incident in August 2022 at a Hempfield home. Police said Flowers threatened a woman and two children. Krieger imposed a concurrent 1- to 5-year prison sentence.