Man who exposed himself to child in Lehigh County gets up to 15 years in prison

A 63-year-old Schuylkill County man was sentenced to spend up to 15 years in prison after driving by four elementary-aged children walking dogs and exposing himself to one of them in Lehigh County.

Blaine Alan Arner of West Penn Township was sentenced Thursday to seven-and-a-half to 15 years in prison at a hearing before Lehigh County Judge Judge James T. Anthony.

Arner must also register for life as a sexually-violent predator. Another 15 years of probation follows the jail time.

On July 29, Arner pleaded guilty to one felony count of luring a child into a motor vehicle and four misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure in the Lynn Township case. A one count misdemeanor charge of open lewdness was withdrawn in the case.

Lehighton-based attorney Matthew Jared Rapa, representing Arner, couldn't immediately be reached for comment Friday morning.

The charges are in connection to the incident at 4:40 p.m. on March 11 in the 7000 block of Lincoln Court, where Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville responded to a report of indecent exposure.

Troopers learned a 9-year-old girl was walking her dogs with three other children when the suspect, driving a 2019 blue Dodge Ram, approached them. When the 9-year-old girl went over to the pickup truck, the man opened the door. He was not wearing pants and exposed his genitals, state police said.

At 8 a.m. March 12, investigators secured surveillance footage of the incident and were able to make out two stickers on the back of the Dodge. In an interview with investigators, the juvenile victim said Arner told her she had a "nice dog" and asked her if she wanted to see his. That's when Arner exposed himself, according to police.

The children then ran from the scene and Arner then drove away in an unknown direction, authorities said. The victim's father later was able to match Arner to a Megan's Law photo, and the Dodge also matched a vehicle description on the Megan Law's website, court records state.

Arner was arrested March 12 by West Penn Township police when a woman in a separate incident reported he allegedly stole a firearm from her home when he learned law enforcement was searching for him. Arner was charged with two felony counts of illegal firearms possession charges, as well as felony theft and felony receiving stolen property charges in the Schuylkill County case.

A status conference is scheduled for Nov. 22 in the Schuylkill County case. The Lehigh County case was investigated by Pennsylvania State Police and West Penn Township police. It was prosecuted by Lehigh County Senior Deputy District Attorney Sarah K. Heimbach.