Schuylkill deputy coroner fired

Schuylkill County commissioners on Wednesday fired deputy coroner Edward C. Smith of Tamaqua.

Smith 60, was charged in September by the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General with felony counts of unlawful contact with a minor, criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, criminal use of a communications facility and unlawful contact with a minor for sexual purposes, along with a misdemeanor count of criminal attempt to commit indecent assault on a minor under the age of 16.

He remains in Luzerne County prison under $250,000 straight cash bail.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday in Luzerne County Central Court.

Authorities say Smith solicited sex online from someone he thought was a 14-year-old boy, but who was actually an undercover agent posing as a child.

According to an affidavit of probable cause, on Sept. 13, the agent monitoring the “boy’s” online profile received a private message from someone who described himself as “an older man.” The agent responded, saying he was 14 years old.

The person who had sent the private message, later identified as Smith, solicited the “boy” for “kissing, cuddling and oral sex.”

The person arranged a time and place to meet the “boy,” and suggested that all of the social media chats should be erased.

When Smith arrived at the meeting place at 6:23 p.m. Sept. 20, he was met not by a 14-year old boy, but by agents from the Child Predator Section of the Office of the Attorney General.

Smith waived his right to a lawyer and admitted his social media contact with the “boy.” He said he knew he was communicating with a 14-year-old boy, soliciting him for sex.

Smith said he would have proceeded if he and the boy “clicked.”

A search of Smith’s phone, with Smith’s permission, recovered the entire “chat” conversation that took place between Sept. 13 and Sept. 20.