Plea withdrawal hearing set before Sandy Lake man is sentenced for child rape

A Mercer County man who pleaded no contest to rape of a child is scheduled to be sentenced today in Mercer County Common Pleas Court. Charles Edward Byrne III, 50, is slated to appear before Judge Tedd C. Nesbit at 11 a.m. in Courtroom 1.

The Sandy Lake entered a "no contest" plea on Jan. 13 to one count of rape of a child, a first-degree felony. A "no contest" plea, while not an admission of guilt, is treated as such for sentencing.

Byrne also filed a motion in March to withdraw his plea, alleging ineffective counsel and a plea deal withdrawal. Judge Nesbit scheduled a hearing on that motion for 9 a.m. today, before the scheduled sentencing. The district attorney filed a brief in opposition to Byrne's motion to withdraw his plea in April.

The charges against Byrne stemmed from an investigation that began in June 2024. According to a criminal complaint, Byrne was accused of repeatedly raping an 11-year-old girl and providing her with vape products in return. The alleged conduct came to light when the victim's parents found her with vape products.

When questioned by police, Byrne allegedly admitted to having "intercourse" with the victim and acknowledged knowing her age. He had initially denied raping her but stated they "messed around."

Byrne has remained in the Mercer County Jail on $250.000 bond since he was arrested on June 29, 2024.