HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced that Timothy Andrekovich, the former head varsity wrestling coach at the Bellwood Antis School District, has been sentenced to 3 to 23 months in prison for failing to protect students during a sexual assault investigation involving a junior high wrestling coach.
Andrekovich, 59, was previously convicted at trial of felony endangering the welfare of a child. Prosecutors said he was responsible for overseeing the district’s wrestling program when he became aware of a sexual abuse investigation involving junior high wrestling coach Ryan Blazier but failed to take sufficient action to safeguard students.
Failure to Enforce Safety Measures
According to the Office of Attorney General, Blazier was under investigation for child sexual abuse allegations beginning in December 2019. While a “safety plan” had been implemented to limit Blazier’s contact with students, prosecutors argued that Andrekovich allowed Blazier to continue unsupervised access to students during this period.
“This defendant had a responsibility to protect his students that he failed to live up to,” Attorney General Sunday said. “He betrayed those students with a lack of action that directly led to sexual abuse of one of them. This sentence sends a message that authority figures in our schools must perform their duty of care. The Office of Attorney General will continue to hold accountable those who fail to protect our children.”
Conviction and Sentencing
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing that Andrekovich’s failure to follow the safety plan created conditions that allowed Blazier continued access to minors, ultimately resulting in abuse.
Blazier was later convicted of multiple counts of sexual assault and, in June 2023, was sentenced to decades in prison.
Prosecution and Accountability
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Julia van Leeuwen and Senior Deputy Attorney General Lauren Eichelberger of the Criminal Prosecutions Section.
Attorney General Sunday emphasized that the sentencing reinforces a broader commitment to holding school officials accountable when they fail to act to protect children under their supervision.
This case highlights ongoing efforts by state authorities to address institutional failures in safeguarding students and to ensure that school officials are proactive in preventing abuse when allegations arise.
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