Man sentenced to decades in prison for sexual assault

HARRISBURG, PA — Luis Manuel Ayala-Velasquez, 56, of Reading, will serve 14 to 46 years in prison for the repeated sexual assaults of a young girl that began more than two decades ago. Attorney General Michelle Henry announced his sentence Wednesday, July 3, 2024, in Northampton County Court.

Ayala-Velasquez was arrested last year following a grand jury investigation that recommended sexual assault charges against more than a dozen members of the Jehovah's Witnesses faith. He pleaded guilty earlier this year to five counts, including rape of an unconscious person.

The crimes took place at Ayala-Velasquez's home in Bethlehem, beginning in 2001, when the victim was a minor, and continuing into adulthood. He assaulted her while she slept.

Attorney General Henry commended the victims who came forward, saying, “The courageous victims who shared their horrific stories of abuse with grand jurors led to charges against predatory defendants.” She commended the diligent efforts of the agents and attorneys in the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to ensure justice.

After his release from prison, Ayala-Velasquez will be required to remain on the sex offender registry for life. Assistant Attorney General Michelle Laucella prosecuted the case, which arose from the findings of the 49th Investigating Grand Jury.

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