A Coolspring Township man will spend time in a state prison for a crime the victim's mother says he didn't commit.

Melvin P. Shealy, 46, of Lot 87 Pine Grove Mobile Home Park, was sentenced Friday by Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Michael J. Wherry to 9 to 24 months for corrupting the morals of a minor.

In May, Shealy pleaded no contest to the charge, and the Mercer County District Attorney's office dropped state police charges of rape, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault.

The 17-year-old victim's mother said her daughter lied about the abuse -- which the victim said occurred from April 1989 until Nov. 1999. It's not the first time her daughter has lied about being sexually abused, her mother said.

"I would say she's a liar," her mother said.

Kevin Feeney, defense attorney, said the girl made similar allegations about her father, causing him to lose custody of her. It wasn't until nearly five years later that the girl confessed that she lied about the molestation.

The mother said when her daughter told her she lied

about that abuse she looked her straight in the face. "There was not one flicker of motherly-daughterly love there," she said.

During the time of Shealy's alleged assaults, her mother said, there were people almost constantly in the house. She added that her daughter had plenty of friends, teachers and clergy she could have gone to with the problem.

Wherry asked to speak to the victim before the sentencing.

"You understand we're not in front of the superintendent of schools for tardiness," Wherry told the girl, reminding her that Shealy could go to jail.

Wherry read an account of the abuse, and the girl said it was correct. She said she was forced to lie about her father abusing her. She told Wherry Shealy threatened to harm and kill her and her mother if she told anyone about his assaults.

"I was 10 years old," she said. "What did you expect me to do?"

Wherry said he could understand her not saying anything when she was 10, but asked why she didn't say anything as she got older.

"I was scared to death ... It was his (Shealy's) choice, and he made a bad choice, and he should pay for it."

"I didn't come here to talk," the girl said as she was walking away from the judge.

The victim's grandmother testified on her behalf.

"This child has suffered," the grandmother said. "I hope he doesn't get a pat on the back and house arrest ... She is suffering bad."

Feeney asked that Shealy not be sent to jail because he is an agoraphobic -- someone who is afraid to leave the house, be in large spaces and have contact with people -- and he was scheduled to have kidney stones removed Monday.

"He's not going to have surgery Monday," Wherry said, adding that he thinks the state prison will be able to handle Shealy's problems.