Pennsylvania Woman Gets Prison for Raping Boy

(Erie, Pennsylvania) In October 2007, a 28-year-old local woman, Carrie L. Dana, was accused of repeatedly engaging in sex with an 11-year-old boy between March and August 2007.

During arraignment before Erie 5th Ward District Judge Joseph Lefaiver, Dana was charged with multiple sex crimes including rape of a child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault and corruption of minors.

In July 2008, Carrie Dana was convicted by an Erie County jury on felony counts of rape, indecent assault of a child younger than age 13, and a misdemeanor count of corruption of minors.

Yesterday, Erie County Judge John A. Bozza sentenced Dana to 15 to 30 years in the state prison.

Bozza gave her a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 to 20 years for one count of rape of a child, a first-degree felony. Bozza sentenced Dana to another five to 10 years for both indecent assault, a third-degree felony, and corruption of minors, a first-degree misdemeanor.

Bozza could have sentenced Dana to additional time for her conviction of a second count of child rape. But he granted a defense request that he allow Dana to serve that sentence at the same time she serves the sentence for the first count of child rape.

"I'm very sorry for what I have done," Dana told Bozza. "I never meant to do any of this."

During the proceeding, Dana's past and mental health problems were discussed but overridden in importance by the nature of her crimes and the fact that she knew she was doing wrong.