WEST CHESTER, Pa. – Two major criminal cases in Chester County reached the sentencing stage Aug. 21, with a 65-year-old Avondale man receiving up to 35 years in prison for sexually abusing a child and two Coatesville defendants receiving life without parole for murder, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.
Warren Reynolds, 65, was sentenced to 17½ to 35 years in state prison after a jury convicted him of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and related charges. The conviction followed a week-long jury trial in January.
In a separate case, six Coatesville men were sentenced for their roles in events that resulted in the Aug. 23, 2023, killing of 20-year-old Dametrius McClain-Jackson. Victor Lara-Ortiz and Zaire Harley, convicted of first-degree murder after a May trial, each received life in prison without the possibility of parole.
- Warren Reynolds, 65, of Avondale received a 17½-to-35-year state prison sentence for sexually abusing a child.
- Victor Lara-Ortiz and Zaire Harley were sentenced to life without parole for the 2023 murder of Dametrius McClain-Jackson.
- Six defendants have now been convicted and sentenced in connection with McClain-Jackson’s killing.
Avondale Man Sentenced for Sexually Abusing Child
Judge Bret M. Binder imposed Reynolds’ sentence following his January jury trial, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said Reynolds was convicted of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and other related offenses. The weekly update did not provide additional details about the abuse, including the victim’s age or the dates on which it occurred.
“This Defendant thought that his wealth could shield him from justice, but Judge Binder’s sentence holds him accountable for sexually abusing a child,” Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said.
The District Attorney also credited the victim for coming forward.
“We are grateful for the courage of the victim to come forward in this case, and for all those who assisted in obtaining justice,” de Barrena-Sarobe said.
First Assistant Deputy District Attorney Erin O’Brien prosecuted the case.
The District Attorney’s Office reminded residents with concerns about a child’s safety to contact police and Pennsylvania ChildLine at 1-800-932-0313.
Six Sentenced in Killing of Dametrius McClain-Jackson
Judge Alita Rovito sentenced six defendants Aug. 21 for their respective roles in the events surrounding McClain-Jackson’s death.
The defendants are Lara-Ortiz, 22; Harley, 23; Markel Jones, 23; Richard Rochester-Cottle, 24; Quadir Lavender, 24; and Gary White, 22.
Lara-Ortiz and Harley were convicted by a jury in May of first-degree murder and related offenses. Both received mandatory life sentences without the possibility of parole, according to prosecutors.
Jones, Rochester-Cottle, Lavender and White previously pleaded guilty. The weekly update states that all six defendants have now been charged, indicted, convicted and sentenced, but it does not specify the individual sentences imposed on those four men.
Prosecutors said the group originally intended to kill a rival but instead killed McClain-Jackson, whom the District Attorney described as a co-conspirator.
“These defendants set out to assassinate a rival and instead killed one of their own,” de Barrena-Sarobe said. “Every person who participated in this violent attack bears the responsibility of the death of McClain-Jackson.”
The Coatesville City Police Department led the investigation with assistance from Chester County Detectives and the Pennsylvania State Police. Chief Deputy District Attorney Andrea Cardamone and Assistant District Attorney Kaitlyn Michalek prosecuted the case.
What sentence did Warren Reynolds receive in Chester County?
Reynolds was sentenced to 17½ to 35 years in Pennsylvania state prison after a jury convicted him of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children and related charges.
Who received life without parole for Dametrius McClain-Jackson’s murder?
Victor Lara-Ortiz and Zaire Harley were convicted of first-degree murder and each sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
Were all six defendants in the Coatesville murder case sentenced?
Yes. The District Attorney’s Office said all six have now been convicted and sentenced, although its weekly update did not specify the sentences imposed on four defendants who previously pleaded guilty.
Sources: Chester County District Attorney’s Office weekly news release; Coatesville City Police Department investigation as identified by prosecutors.
