Jury acquits New Stanton man of rape, but finds him guilty of lesser offenses

A Westmoreland County jury on Wednesday found a New Stanton man not guilty of raping a woman at a Hempfield Halloween party in 2020 but they convicted him of a sexual assault charge.

Anthony Lucas, 28, was accused of barging into a bathroom during the party in 2020 and forcing a Mt. Pleasant woman to engage in sex acts.

Lucas was convicted of one felony count of sexual assault and a lesser misdemeanor offense of indecent assault. He was acquitted of felony charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and another count of indecent assault.

The jury deliberated more than three hours before returning the mixed verdict.

His accuser claimed Lucas forced himself on her in the bathroom as her young daughter slept in a nearby room during the holiday party attended by more than a half-dozen guests.

Lucas did not testify at trial. His defense lawyer, Brian Aston, argued that Lucas and his accuser engaged in a consensual sexual encounter. Evidence — which included Lucas’ DNA found on the woman — could not prove an assault, Aston said in his closing argument.

He said a lack of evidence that the woman tried to fight off her assailant backed Lucas’ statement to police hours after the incident. Aston also criticized the police investigation, which he claimed did not include tests to determine if force was used against the woman or if Lucas’ accuser was drunk at the time of the incident.

“That sex encounter was consensual. It might have been regretful. Sometimes in life we do things we regret, but it doesn’t mean it was a crime,” Aston said.

Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Ranger argued the evidence presented during the three-day trial supported convictions for rape and the other sexual offenses charged against Lucas.

“You didn’t hear any testimony this was consensual. She walked out of the bathroom crying and she was described as looking like a ghost. Her friends and and her family who had known her for years said she looked disturbed,” Ranger told jurors.

Lucas faces a potential three-year prison sentence as a result of the convictions, Ranger said.

He will remain free on an unsecured bond as he awaits a sentencing hearing in about three months before Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger.