The son of a former high school principal was sentenced Friday, Aug. 30, to 24 months of probation after pleading guilty to the indecent assault of a 5-year-old girl.

In addition to probation, Matthew Gregor Mandalas, 21, of Butler, was ordered to pay a $1,500 fine and must register as a sex offender for 15 years. He was sentenced by Butler County Common Pleas Judge Joseph Kubit.

Mandalas is the son of former Knoch High School principal, Gregory Mandalas, who retired in June 2023 after he was charged with failing to alert authorities about accusations made against his son. State police charged Gregory Mandalas on May 22, 2023, with willingly failing to report suspected child abuse as a state-mandated reporter.

Matthew Mandalas pleaded guilty in May to indecent assault and corruption of a minor.

Before being sentenced Friday, Matthew Mandalas apologized for his actions, and said he created a tragic situation. Although the victim’s mother said in an impact statement in court that her family would forgive Mandalas, he said he still is trying to forgive himself.

“I would like her to know that I am thankful for her forgiveness,” he said.

State police filed charges Aug. 26, 2022, against Matthew Mandalas, including felony corruption of minors and misdemeanor indecent assault. Mandalas was 19 years old and the girl was 5 years old at the time of the incident.

Police said in the initial criminal complaint that the girl told a forensic interviewer Mandalas had touched her in an intimate area and then forced her to touch him inappropriately. Police said the mother told investigators the incident happened around Christmas 2021.

A representative of the victim’s family read an impact statement from the girl’s mother that said the girl’s personality changed dramatically after the incident, but it took months before they would learn why. The mother said the girl displayed low self-esteem, and even suffered panic attacks when exposed to certain images or words.

“She was very afraid of bad guys breaking into the house,” the statement said. “Even a building with blocks the same color as where the abuse occurred scared her.”

Gregory Mandalas, went through his own court proceedings after he failed to report his son. Police said the girl’s parents contacted Gregory Mandalas about their daughter’s disclosure six times before August 2023.

In January, Gregory Mandalas was accepted into Butler County’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program to resolve the criminal charges.