Post by Critique on Jan 26, 2007 1:48:37 GMT -5
01/24/2007
By CINDY SCHARR
MEDIA COURTHOUSE -- A former county deputy sheriff was sentenced Tuesday to six to 23 months in prison for possessing child pornography on his home computer. Joseph Swett, 43, of the 600 block of Taylor Drive, Lower Chichester, pleaded guilty on Oct. 16 to three counts of sexual abuse of children and unlawful use of a communications facility.
In addition to the jail time, Judge Joseph Cronin, who accepted the plea, also sentenced Swett to 48 months probation under the supervision of the county’s Adult Probation and Parole Sexual Offenders Unit following his release from prison.
Assistant District Attorney Joseph Brielmann said Swett violated his position as a county sheriff and breached the public’s trust by downloading photos and videos depicting sex acts involving infants and children.
Authorities seized Swett’s home computer during a June 1, 2005, search. It was sent to the state Attorney General’s forensic unit for further analysis, which led to the filing of the charges against him.
Brielmann said investigators found 46 videos and pictures on one hard drive on Swett’s personal computer, and 26 additional pictures and videos on another hard drive. The pictures were stored, Brielmann noted, on a file entitled "Joe’s share file," and were accessible to investigators.
Swett’s attorney, C. Scott Shields, said his client never disseminated the pictures and maintained that a third party had access to Swett’s hard drive.
"He stands before you a broken man," Shields told Cronin. "He’s a sinner and takes full responsibility for what he’s done."
Brielmann said the contention that someone else put the images and videos on Swett’s computer was "ridiculous."
"This wasn’t an accident that they ended up on his computer," Brielmann said. "He continues to deny responsibility for his actions."
Brielmann said Swett’s psychosexual evaluation found that he had pedophilia "interests," but did not classify him as a pedophile. The psychiatrist who conducted the evaluation also noted that she had received "unofficial" information that allegations had been made against Swett when he served in the county’s juvenile detention center, Brielmann said. No criminal charges were ever filed against Swett.
Shields called that information "garbage."
Swett is also subject to registering as a Megan’s Law offender for 10 years. He is barred from having any unsupervised contact with minors and is not permitted to obtain employment where he would have contact with children. His home computer will also be subject to periodic inspection by court officers to ensure he is not accessing child-related sites, both legal and illegal.
Cronin also ordered Swett to forfeit three rifles and a handgun to the commonwealth. The weapons will be turned over to a federally licensed gun dealer for sale, the proceeds of which will be turned over to Swett through his attorney.
Cronin did not send Swett directly to jail, but allowed him to remain free on bail until Jan. 29, to allow him to make arrangements for a caregiver for his ailing mother.
www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17742524&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18178&rfi=6
By CINDY SCHARR
MEDIA COURTHOUSE -- A former county deputy sheriff was sentenced Tuesday to six to 23 months in prison for possessing child pornography on his home computer. Joseph Swett, 43, of the 600 block of Taylor Drive, Lower Chichester, pleaded guilty on Oct. 16 to three counts of sexual abuse of children and unlawful use of a communications facility.
In addition to the jail time, Judge Joseph Cronin, who accepted the plea, also sentenced Swett to 48 months probation under the supervision of the county’s Adult Probation and Parole Sexual Offenders Unit following his release from prison.
Assistant District Attorney Joseph Brielmann said Swett violated his position as a county sheriff and breached the public’s trust by downloading photos and videos depicting sex acts involving infants and children.
Authorities seized Swett’s home computer during a June 1, 2005, search. It was sent to the state Attorney General’s forensic unit for further analysis, which led to the filing of the charges against him.
Brielmann said investigators found 46 videos and pictures on one hard drive on Swett’s personal computer, and 26 additional pictures and videos on another hard drive. The pictures were stored, Brielmann noted, on a file entitled "Joe’s share file," and were accessible to investigators.
Swett’s attorney, C. Scott Shields, said his client never disseminated the pictures and maintained that a third party had access to Swett’s hard drive.
"He stands before you a broken man," Shields told Cronin. "He’s a sinner and takes full responsibility for what he’s done."
Brielmann said the contention that someone else put the images and videos on Swett’s computer was "ridiculous."
"This wasn’t an accident that they ended up on his computer," Brielmann said. "He continues to deny responsibility for his actions."
Brielmann said Swett’s psychosexual evaluation found that he had pedophilia "interests," but did not classify him as a pedophile. The psychiatrist who conducted the evaluation also noted that she had received "unofficial" information that allegations had been made against Swett when he served in the county’s juvenile detention center, Brielmann said. No criminal charges were ever filed against Swett.
Shields called that information "garbage."
Swett is also subject to registering as a Megan’s Law offender for 10 years. He is barred from having any unsupervised contact with minors and is not permitted to obtain employment where he would have contact with children. His home computer will also be subject to periodic inspection by court officers to ensure he is not accessing child-related sites, both legal and illegal.
Cronin also ordered Swett to forfeit three rifles and a handgun to the commonwealth. The weapons will be turned over to a federally licensed gun dealer for sale, the proceeds of which will be turned over to Swett through his attorney.
Cronin did not send Swett directly to jail, but allowed him to remain free on bail until Jan. 29, to allow him to make arrangements for a caregiver for his ailing mother.
www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17742524&BRD=1675&PAG=461&dept_id=18178&rfi=6