An 81-year-old Bradford County man will spend up to three decades behind bars for sexually assaulting a teenager in Lehigh and Bradford counties, after a judge handed down a sentence of 10 years and 9 months to 30 years in state prison on Monday. Dennis Kochenash, who formerly lived in Whitehall Township, pleaded guilty in July to two felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and a misdemeanor count of indecent assault of a person under 16.
Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas Judge Douglas G. Reichley imposed the sentence, according to lehighvalleylive.com. Along with the prison term, Kochenash will serve three years of consecutive probation and must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life. Other charges Kochenash originally faced, including statutory sexual assault and corruption of minors, were withdrawn as part of his plea deal, according to mcall.com.
According to the outlet's report, the assaults happened in December 2024, when Kochenash sexually assaulted the victim on several occasions and provided the victim with marijuana. The same account says Kochenash and the victim communicated through text messages and Snapchat, with that contact continuing for several months and including both online and in-person communication.
How the Case Came to Light
Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville received a ChildLine report from a victim under the age of 14 on October 27, 2025, the station's report states. Trooper Seth A. Heffner investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Lehigh County Chief Deputy District Attorney Sarah K. Heimbach, per the same account. WFMZ.com reports that Kochenash pleaded guilty to offenses in both counties under an agreement with the Bradford County District Attorney's Office.
Accounts of the case diverge on key details. The Morning Call reported that Kochenash assaulted the girl, 14, in both Lehigh and Bradford counties, while 28/22 News described the victim as a 14-year-old boy who was sexually assaulted several times. The two outlets also differ on the timeframe of the abuse: lehighvalleylive.com's report ties the assaults to December 2024, while 28/22 News states that Kochenash pleaded guilty to assaulting a teenager between 2024 and 2025.
Sentencing Marks Case's Conclusion
With Monday's sentencing, the case against Kochenash appears to have reached its conclusion after beginning with the ChildLine report filed roughly a year earlier. The lifetime sex-offender registration requirement and lengthy probation term will follow Kochenash well beyond his eventual release eligibility, assuming he serves the minimum term of his sentence.
