A Greensburg man was ordered to serve time in jail for possessing child pornography.
Trent E. Sullivan, 26, formerly of Salem, pleaded guilty to 10 felony counts in March after police found multiple images of child pornography on his home computer and cell phone in March 2021.
According to court records, Sullivan told police he had viewed child pornography over the previous year through a file-sharing smartphone application and “came across it” while he looked at other pornography, then started searching for similar images on the app.
Police said Sullivan used a program on the computer to download the files and later move them to the computer’s recycle bin, but then reactivated and viewed them again, according to court papers. He is accused of distributing at least four of the files. He was originally charged with 25 counts as a result of the investigation.
Earlier this year, Sullivan, who had been free on bail, pleaded guilty felony counts including dissemination and possession of child pornography.
Westmoreland County Common Pleas Court Judge Tim Krieger on Friday ordered Sullivan to serve 11 1/2 to 23 months in jail and an additional three years on probation. The judge said Sullivan must register as a convicted sex offender for 25 years.
“It is easy for young men to think there are no victims here, but there are. These are someone’s little girl and your actions make a market here,” Krieger said. “We’re losing too many young men. They’re sitting on their mom’s couch in the basement doing nothing. There’s too much unstructured time and too much access.”
Deputy Attorney General Alison Bragle said Sullivan, by the nature of his crimes, was ineligible to receive a sentence that included house arrest. She asked that Sullivan receive consecutive sentences.
Defense attorney Brian Aston said Sullivan has undergone substantial treatment, works as a jewelry designer at a local store and has been crime-free for the nearly five years since his arrest.
“I don’t believe the community is in danger for his reoffending. He is now a much healthier young man,” Aston said.
The judge said Sullivan is eligible for work release during his incarceration and ordered him to report to jail to begin serving his sentence on Jan. 19.
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