A Conneaut Lake man who roamed the Allegheny College campus while wearing no pants or underwear last spring was sentenced Friday to jail time and probation.
Scott Moersch, 32, was sentenced to one to 12 months in Crawford County jail and 12 months of probation. He had previously pleaded guilty to a second degree misdemeanor charge of indecent exposure in a February hearing before Judge Spataro.
“I know it’s ultimately up to you,” Moersch said when addressing Spataro directly. “Whatever you decide I’m OK with and accept the consequence.”
Moersch also stated that he was “open to future treatment” regarding his mental health despite not claiming mental health issues during his plea hearing in February.
Moersch was initially charged after two separate incidents that occurred on the Allegheny campus in April and May 2025. On both occasions, he was reported walking around the North Village residential buildings without pants or underwear on. Moersch originally was charged with eight counts regarding the two campus incidents — two indecent exposure, two open lewdness, two loitering and prowling at nighttime and two disorderly conduct charges. Seven of the counts were not prosecuted as a result of the plea agreement.
When Spataro asked at the Feb. 5 plea hearing whether alcohol, drugs or mental illness had played a role in what happened, Moersch described the incident as “a bad decision.”
On Friday, however, Spataro framed the offense as a mental health issue.
“We do know the reason for it, which is you’ve got this, we’ll call it, ‘disorder,’” Spataro said before issuing the sentence. “I’m taking your word that you’re taking measures to get treated,”
Spataro cited two factors in opting not to allow Moersch to serve his sentence on house arrest: the fact that the crime occurred near student housing and the fact that he had previously pleaded guilty to indecent exposure for a 2016 incident in the city of Meadville.
“I hope you understand where I’m coming from,” Spataro told Moersch during the hearing. “What’s troubling here was this wasn’t your first offense.”
While no victim impact statement was provided for the hearing, Spataro noted that whoever observed Moersch’s conduct would have “naturally become very worried.”
“When parents send kids off to college, one of the things they’re worried about is sexual assault,” Spataro said. “I can’t minimize on account of connecting with mental health specialists, I just can’t do that.”
Moersch was granted work release privileges during his time in jail. He was also ordered to pay a $250 fine and court costs and provide a DNA sample.
The sentence also banned Moersch from the Allegheny College campus for two years and ordered him to seek mental health treatment from his medical provider.
