Nov. 9, 2026
— Jeff Ward, Lehigh Valley News Briefs
An 81-year-old former Whitehall Township resident has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teenager and was sentenced to 10 years and nine months to as long as 30 years in state prison, according to Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan.
Dennis Kochenash lived in Whitehall before moving to Bradford County, Pennsylvania. He pleaded guilty to offenses in both counties. He pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 16 years old and a misdemeanor count of indecent assault.
The sentence could keep him in prison until his 90s or beyond. Kochenash was born in 1945.
“On Oct. 27, 2025, Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville received a ChildLine report of a victim who was 14 at the time the offenses began in 2024,” the Holihan statement says.
Kochenash corresponded with the victim online and provided the victim with marijuana, according to today’s press release.
Judge Douglas G. Reichley sentenced Kochenash today.
Here’s the statement from District Attorney Holihan:
Nov. 9, 2026
District Attorney Gavin P. Holihan announces a state prison sentence for an 81-year-old man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a teen.
Dennis Kochenash, DOB 5/16/1945, of Bradford County, pleaded guilty in July to two counts of Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse – Person Less than 16 Years Old and a misdemeanor count of Indecent Assault of a Person Less than 16 Years Old.
In a hearing today before Judge Douglas G. Reichley, Kochenash was sentenced to serve 10 years and 9 months to 30 years in state prison as well as 3 years of consecutive probation.
Kochenash will also be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Prior to living in Bradford County, Kochenash lived in Whitehall Township in Lehigh County for many years. He pleaded guilty to offenses that occurred in both counties as per an agreement with the Bradford County District Attorney’s Office.
On Oct. 27, 2025, Pennsylvania State Police in Fogelsville received a ChildLine report of a victim who was 14 at the time the offenses began in 2024.
Kochenash and the victim were known to each other prior to the allegations. The investigation revealed that Kochenash and the victim began communicating with each other through text messages and on Snapchat. The investigation revealed that that contact continued for several months; including online communications; in-person communications and eventually the sexual assault against the child.
In December 2024, Kochenash sexually assaulted the victim on several occasions and provided the victim with marijuana. The assaults took place in both Bradford County and in Lehigh County at the victim’s home.
This case was investigated by Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Seth A. Heffner and was prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Sarah K. Heimbach.
