York County man who hid his children is convicted

(York) -- A midstate man accused of hiding his children from the world has been convicted of child endangerment.

A York County judge has rendered the verdict against 48-year-old Sinhue Johnson Sr. after a bench trial. Judge Richard K. Renn says he found Johnson guilty because he chose to have his family live in poverty, denying the children proper schooling and housing.

The judge sentenced Johnson to 11 ½ to 23 months, which amounts to time served. Renn says Johnson had a legal obligation to provide some kind of approved education to his children. Johnson plans to appeal.

He says his children never lived in squalor, as police alleged. He says he and his wife never took them to the doctor, enrolled them in school or got birth certificates because of their religious beliefs.