Mifflinburg man sentenced to 22-67...

SUNBURY — A Mifflinburg man convicted of raping a child will spend the next 22 1/2 to 67 years in state prison.On Monday, Melvin Ross, 53, of Dice Road, Mifflinburg, was sentenced by Union County Judge Michael Piecuch. Ross must also register for the rest of his life as a Tier 3 Megan's Law offender and serve three years of probation if ever released from prison.In April, a Union County jury found Ross guilty of six felony counts: rape of a child, statutory sexual assault of a juvenile under the age of 16, sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault of a juvenile under the age of 13, indecent assault of a juvenile under the age of 13 and corruption of minors; and a misdemeanor count of endangering the welfare of a child.Milton State Police received a ChildLine referral from the Union County District Attorney’s office in August 2024 reporting that a 9-year-old girl had been inappropriately touched by Ross at his residence on Dice Road in Limestone Township on Aug. 16, 2024. He took the girl to his house and assaulted her in the basement three times while no one else was in the home, police said.— JUSTIN STRAWSER