Release – January 2026.
BRADFORD COUNTY, PA – Duane E. Smith, 62, of Ulster, PA, was sentenced to a minimum of 11 months to a maximum of 23 months for the offense of Statutory Sexual Assault, to be followed by eight years of probation for the offense of Unlawful Contact with a Minor, both Felonies. Smith is also required to register with the Pennsylvania Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA), which is commonly called Megan’s Law, for a period of ten years.
Smith was charged with the offense by Trooper Joshua R. Fisher of the Pennsylvania State Police following an investigation into allegations that Smith abused a child back in the 1990’s. This investigation began in 2024. “The delay in reporting this case to authorities made investigation and prosecution very difficult,” noted District Attorney Richard Wilson. “Despite the fact that Smith had no previous criminal history whatsoever, this is an important conviction to bring him to justice for what he did nearly three decades ago,” said District Attorney Richard Wilson, noting that there is a very lengthy statute of limitations on such offenses.
