Clarks Summit man sentenced to jail time for child pornography

David Singleton, The Times-Tribune, Scranton, Pa.
Updated ·2 min read

Jan. 20—SCRANTON — A Clarks Summit man who was on home confinement and undergoing treatment while awaiting sentencing on child pornography charges will spend more time in the Lackawanna County Prison.

Ross Volpe, 31, was sentenced Friday by Judge Margaret Bisignani Moyle to 24 to 48 months in the county jail after the court rejected an argument by his attorney to allow the defendant to remain on house arrest.

With credit for time he has already served, Volpe will serve about another year, Moyle said. "As the court, this is the path I must take," the judge told defense attorney Joseph Kalinowski.

County detectives arrested Volpe in March and charged him with using the Kik messaging app to share images of children engaged in sexual acts.

He told detectives after his arrest that he had viewed child pornography for years, realizing around age 18 that it was wrong, and knew that investigators would eventually be at his door, according to a criminal complaint.

Originally jailed on $250,000 bail, Volpe pleaded guilty to 26 counts of possession of child pornography and was released to home confinement by Moyle in July.

In asking Moyle for a sentence that would keep the defendant on home confinement, Kalinowski said Volpe has no criminal history, has been working full time and has followed every condition the court imposed on him in July.

Volpe started sex offender treatment in late July and has made "good progress," the attorney said. He told the judge that progress would be halted if the defendant is placed in the county jail, which does not offer a sex offender therapy program.

Moyle said she was not sending Volpe to state prison, citing his lack of a criminal record and other factors, but said the sentence imposed must accomplish the goals of deterrence and punishment as well as rehabilitation.

She told Kalinowski the court would work with the jail to try to find a way for Volpe's treatment to continue while he is housed there.

The judge also placed Volpe on probation for six years after his release from jail.

Volpe will be required to register as a sex offender under the Adam Walsh Act for 15 years, Moyle said.

Contact the writer:

dsingleton@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9132.