Former Karate Instructor Convicted Of Sexually Assaulting Students

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PITTSBURGH (AP) - A former karate instructor has been convicted of sexually assaulting students in western Pennsylvania.

Thirty-year-old Michael Scherbanic was convicted of 69 counts including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact, indecent assault, child endangerment and indecent exposure. He was acquitted of two counts.

Scherbanic was accused of abusing five juvenile male students of his Tang Soo Do Karate College in North Versailles, just outside of Pittsburgh. Authorities alleged that the assaults occurred for years before his arrest in June 2016.

Scherbanic took the stand in his own defense, telling jurors he never sexually assaulted anyone. He did acknowledge making a plan with a cellmate to intimidate the victims. The cellmate testified that he wanted to kill the youths.

Jurors in Allegheny County deliberated for eight hours over two days.

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