SMETHPORT — A Rixford man was found guilty Tuesday by a McKean County jury of charges relating to the sexual assault of a male juvenile.

William J. Tipton, 52, was convicted of indecent assault and corruption of minors.

The two-day trial was held before President Judge John Pavlock. Warren attorney Erika Mills is representing Tipton. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ashley Shade.

Tipton, along with his wife, Julie A. Tipton, 37, both of Rixford, were charged in 2017 for allegations they raped a boy several years ago when the boy was around 6 years old.

A trial for Julie Tipton is still pending. She is represented by Ridgway attorney Christopher Martini.

On Wednesday, McKean County District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer thanked the jury members for their time.

“Cases like this are particularly difficult,” she said. “Sex offenses against minors are painful for us to hear and acknowledge. Children are our most vulnerable citizens; crimes against them are the most horrific and prosecution of them are the most difficult.”

She explained that Shade has filed a notice seeking a mandatory sentence in the case.

“There is a particular provision of the sentencing code that applies in certain sex offense convictions,” Shaffer said. “If the court finds that this particular sentencing statute applies to a particular defendant based on that defendant’s history and current conviction, a defendant is sentenced to lengthier, mandatory sentence.”

The notice indicates that Tipton had previously been convicted of a sexual offense.

According to court records filed at the time of their arrest, in February 2017, a teenage male was interviewed by Foster Township Police. He reported that when he was a child of about 6, William Tipton made him watch pornography on the television in the living room of Tipton’s home in Foster Township. Court records indicate the teen then recalled Tipton made the boy perform sex acts with Tipton and his wife.

Court records indicate Julie Tipton maintains the alleged incidents never happened, saying William Tipton had been in prison when the boy was 6. But police told her the child had estimated his age at the time of the alleged incidents.