Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By BRAD BRANAN; Times Leader Staff Writer
Saturday, June 17, 1995 Page: 2A
WILKES-BARRE — Six years after he was convicted of sexually molesting a
teenage relative, Edward Billheimer went to prison Friday.
Billheimer, who was convicted in January, 1989, entered the State
Correctional Institution at Camp Hill, prison officials confirmed. He will
begin serving a five- to 10-year sentence.
Police said Billheimer, of Butler Township, arrived at the Luzerne County
Sheriff’s office at 9 a.m. Friday after receiving an order from Judge Ann H.
Lokuta on Thursday. Billheimer was then transported to the prison by members
of the sheriff’s office.
Former Luzerne County Senior Judge Donald O’Malley had sentenced Billheimer
to at least five years in prison on Oct. 4, 1990. But O’Malley allowed
Billheimer to stay out on bail, pending the outcome of his appeals.
Billheimer appealed his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which
turned down his request on March 21, 1994. That same month the Supreme Court
sent a letter to Luzerne County District Attorney Peter Paul Olszewski Jr.
saying Billheimer’s appeal had been turned down, records show.
It is unclear why Billheimer was allowed to remain free after exhausting
his appeals. In other published reports, Olszewski has said his office waits
for the trial judge to order incarceration. Neither Olszewski or O’Malley, who
has retired, could be reached for comment.
Billheimer was originally sentenced in October, 1990. A jury found him
guilty of two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, four counts of
corruption of minors and four counts of endangering the welfare of a child. He
was found not guilty of four counts of indecent assault.
A complaint said Billheimer started having sex with his relative when she
was 14. The activity continued until she was 16, shortly before she was
interviewed by the Luzerne County Children and Youth Services.
Billheimer’s age was unavailable.