An Easton's man conviction of various criminal counts, including attempted rape of an elderly woman, and the sentence imposed have been affirmed in an opinion handed down by a state court.

John Anthony Vega, 29, was convicted by a Carbon County jury of attempted rape, indecent assault, and burglary and related counts, and was sentenced by President Judge Roger N. Nanovic II to serve 16 to 37 years in a state correctional institution.Vega, through his court-appointed attorney, Kent Watkins, appealed the sentence and the jury's verdict.Recently a three-judge panel of the Superior Court of Pennsylvania denied the appeal, stating the verdict and sentence imposed were legal. Vega's initial appeal of the verdict and sentence was denied by Nanovic.In Lehigh County, Vega was convicted of similar acts as in the Carbon case and was sentenced to serve 30 to 64 years in a state prison. In Northampton County he pleaded to burglary and related counts and was sentenced to serve 18 to 36 years in a state prison. All the terms run consecutive to each other.Vega was charged by state police with entering the home of a then 77-year-old woman in Lower Towamensing Township on Oct. 21, 2007, and attempting to rape her. He fled the home when he thought someone was in the home. He returned to the same home on May 31, 2008, and attacked the woman in a second floor hallway. She screamed for help and a person who was living with her responded, which caused Vega to flee the home.Following a the three-day trial in January 2013, the jury panel found him guilty of two counts each of criminal attempt-rape by forcible compulsion, burglary, and criminal trespass, three counts of indecent assault, and one count of simple assault.Before the sentencing, a sexual predators hearing was held and Nanovic ruled that Vega was a sexual violent predator and must register for life as a sexual offender.In his appeal Vega raised eight questions concerning the verdict and the sentence imposed. All eight contentions were denied by the state court.Among the claims made by Vega were: challenged the evidence presented; claimed that the sentence imposed and the fact that it runs consecutive to sentences in Lehigh and Northampton counties constitutes cruel and unusual punishment; and claimed the victim's testimony was conflicting and contradictory.He also challenged the report of the state sexual offenders assessment board and the decision of Nanovic that he was a sexual violent predator.All the contentions were addressed individually by the state court in its 23-page opinion with the reasons stated for denying each contention.The case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jean A. Engler, who at the sentencing proceeding on June 30, 2013, stated the case was, in her 25 years in the DA's office, the most disturbing she had ever handled.She had asked Nanovic to impose a long state prison term and praised the "bravery" of the victim who had to endure many court appearances and testify at the trial despite failing health.