Former Coaldale mayor Richard Corkery, is guilty on all 27 counts of downloading child pornography, a Carbon County jury ruled today.

The jury, made up of eight men and four women, deliberated for just over two hours before returning the guilty verdict. They asked the judge questions and requested police report during deliberations. 

Corkery, 75, took the stand today and denied intentionally viewing child pornography images on a computer at the radio station where he worked.

“Absolutely not,” he replied in response to questions by his attorney, Nicholas Quinn of Pottsville.

In 2011, Nesquehoning Police Chief Sean Smith charged that Corkery viewed the child porn on the computer at radio station WLSH while he was an employee of the station in 2011.

When the station management learned of the pornographic material on its computer, Corkery was terminated.

Police said more than 5,000 images of pornographic material were found on the computer's hard drive.

A couple, whose now 16-year-old son spent time with Corkery, also testified in Corkery’s defense. They said they trusted Corkery with their son.

Seven other character witnesses were called to the stand.

Closing arguments were held this afternoon.

Read the full story in Friday's Times News.