WEST CHESTER – A former Norristown police officer who was scheduled to go to trial in Chester County this week for having inappropriate contact with a minor pleaded guilty on Friday.
Nicholas Santo, 47, of North Coventry, pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child and was sentenced to three years of probation.
Other charges including aggravated assault, indecent assault and corruption of minors were dismissed by the Chester County District Attorney’s office as a part of the plea agreement.
Prosecuting attorney Pryia DeSouza of the Chester County District Attorney’s office said she is glad the case came to a resolution without having the victim have to go through a trial. She said he will not be subject to Megan’s law and will not have to register his address with police.
‘The plea deal was based on consideration for the victim and the victim’s family. The only disappointment is that the victim had to wait so long for validation, since it took the defendant nearly eight months to admit to abusing a child,’ DeSouza said in an email Tuesday.
Santo’s defense attorney, Evan Kelly, said Santo entered into the plea agreement to avoid his children seeing him go through a trial.
Santo was first placed on administrative leave after his arrest in September. The Times Herald reported in December that Santos was no longer a part of the Norristown Police Department. According to the report, newly-appointed chief of police Mark Talbot would not comment on whether Santos was fired or had left on his own.
An investigation began after Chester County detectives received a report of a Santo inappropriately touching a young girl who was at his home in September.