Former Coaldale mayor back in jail for violating probation

The former mayor of Coaldale who served time for 27 counts of downloading child pornography is back in prison for violating the conditions of his probation.

Richard Corkery, 79, is in the county prison and is awaiting a court order that will impose a prison term of six to 36 months for violating the terms of his release.

Corkery was convicted in June 2014 by a Carbon County jury of the 27 counts.

On Dec. 12, 2014, Judge Steven R. Serfass sentenced him to serve nine to 36 months in a state correctional institution followed by three years of state probation.

Corkery served the full 36 months and was paroled on Nov. 27, 2017, at which time he started to serve the probation period.

Joseph Berke, of the county adult probation office, filed a petition to revoke Corkery’s probation because he violated one of the terms of his release and probation sentence.

Berke said Corkery violated condition 8, “in that said defendant did have contact with minor children or congregated where children were present without adult supervision.”

Attorney Robert T. Yurchak, who is now representing Corkery, did not contest the petition filed by Berke and waived a hearing on the matter.

A stipulation was agreed to by Corkery and the probation office that he violated his probation. Yurchak also had filed a petition to have the probation period end because Corkery has health issues which make him unable to fulfill all the requirements of his probation, including attending sexual offenders counseling sessions in Pottsville.

That petition was also withdrawn by Yurchak.

The new sentence effective date is Sept. 13. Once Serfass signs the order imposing the new sentence, Corkery will be transferred to a state correctional institution.