With young girl ready to testify, man pleads guilty to sexual assault

ERIE COUNTY, Pa. — A 34-year-old Erie man is facing the possibility of decades behind bars after admitting in court that he sexually assaulted a young child — a case that shocked the Edinboro community and ended just moments before a jury trial was set to begin.

Jose A. Lazo pleaded guilty on Jan. 13 to the first-degree felony of aggravated indecent assault of a child, abruptly halting what would have been a deeply emotional trial. The victim, now 7 years old, had been scheduled to testify as the prosecution’s key witness.

Her statements to investigators were central to the case and led Edinboro police to file charges against Lazo in August 2024, weeks after the alleged assault occurred inside an apartment in the borough.

Lazo now faces up to 20 years in state prison when he is sentenced on March 13 before Judge David Ridge, who accepted the guilty plea and had been prepared to preside over the trial.

Court records show Lazo was living in the 1000 block of French Street in Erie at the time of his arrest. He has remained in the Erie County Prison since his arraignment, held on $10,000 bond.

No sentencing recommendation

Prosecutors are not seeking a recommended sentence as part of the plea agreement, a decision made with the consent of the victim’s family, according to District Attorney Elizabeth Hirz.

In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors dropped several additional charges, including indecent assault, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children — all first-degree misdemeanors.

Neither Hirz nor Lazo’s defense attorney, Kenneth Bickel, commented on the plea. The district attorney said she plans to address the case at sentencing.

Investigation began at the hospital

The case came to light on July 10, 2024, when police were contacted by the emergency room at UPMC Hamot regarding a possible sexual assault involving a child.

Investigators later interviewed the victim at the Child Advocacy Center of Erie, where she disclosed the assault, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed with the court.

That interview ultimately led to Lazo’s arrest and the criminal case that ended with his guilty plea this week.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 13, when the court will decide how long Lazo will spend in prison for the crime.

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