Former Deputy Coroner of Carbon and Schuylkill Counties Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault of Minor
HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced that the former Deputy Coroner for Carbon and Schuylkill Counties was sentenced to eight to 16 years in prison for felony charges related to the sexual abuse of a minor.
Edward Smith, 61, of Tamaqua, pleaded guilty to two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and one count of corruption of minors on Wednesday before Schuylkill County Judge James P. Goodman. The Office of Attorney General filed the charges against Smith in December 2017, after investigators discovered images of a male child on Smith’s cell phone. Smith confirmed he knew the child and provided the child’s name to investigators. Agents interviewed the victim, who said that Smith had sexual contact with him multiple times when the victim was 14 to 16 years old.
These charges followed his initial arrest in September 2017 for soliciting sex from an undercover agent who was posing as a 14-year-old boy online. Wednesday’s sentence was ordered to be served consecutive to his sentence of six to 20 years previously imposed for soliciting the undercover agent. A hearing to determine if Smith is a sexually violent predator will be scheduled at a later date.
“This victim was horrifically assaulted on multiple occasions,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “My office will aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who abuses children – no matter who commits the crime. Thanks to the thoroughness of the agents and prosecutors in our Child Predator Section, this criminal is behind bars.”
Smith’s sexual abuse of the victim began in 2015 and occurred at Smith’s home in Tamaqua. Smith paid the victim to pose for the photos Smith took on his phone and for sexual favors under the guise of receiving payment for legitimate work.
On Tuesday, Attorney General Shapiro announced the guilty plea of a Catholic priest who sexually assaulted 10-year-old boy in the Greensburg Diocese. The Attorney General also announced new charges against a Johnstown pediatrician for the sexual abuse of 19 more child victims earlier this week.
Both cases against Smith were prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Angela Raver.
Suspected child predators can be reported by calling the Office of Attorney General’s Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044. Individuals who suspect an online predator or abuse can also send anonymous tips by texting PAKIDS + (your tip) to 847411.
# # #
