MORGANTOWN — Shawn Swiger will serve three to 15 years in prison for sexually assaulting a mentally handicapped man.
On Jan. 22, Monongalia County Circuit Court Judge Susan Tucker sentenced Swiger on three counts of third-degree sexual assault. Each charge carries a one- to five-year sentence and Tucker ordered they run consecutively.
Monongalia County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gabrielle Mucciola previously said that in July police went to a residence for a reported sexual assault. The victim’s mother said she left with another person and the victim was in Swiger’s care.
When they returned home they found him trying to assault the victim.
Mucciola said the victim has the mental capacity of an 8-year-old.
During the investigation, police learned about two other incidents of possible assaults involving Swiger and the victim. Relatives were suspicious at the time, but the events were not reported to police.