Attorney General Dave Sunday said that a recidivist child molester pedophile from Philadelphia, Craig Coleman, received a sentence of 18 to 36 years for possessing child sexual abuse material while on parole for a previous conviction.
Craig Coleman is confronting supplementary allegations – human trafficking, involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, and other offences — for crimes perpetrated earlier this year while on bail.
On Thursday, a Philadelphia County Judge sentenced Craig Coleman following his guilty plea to felony sexual abuse of children for possessing child sexual abuse material. The judge classified Craig Coleman as a “sexually violent predator” required to register as a sex offender for life.
”This predator is a potential danger to every child in his proximity,” Attorney General Sunday said. “He has proven time and time again that he will not be deterred from targeting and harming children — even while on parole or bail conditions. One of my core missions as Attorney General is to protect children, and our Child Predator Section will continue with proactive investigations to stop offenders.”
The Office of Attorney General charged Craig Coleman in 2023 with child sexual abuse material — at the time, he was on parole for a 2017 conviction of manufacturing child pornography and statutory sexual assault.
In February — while out on bail from the 2023 charges — Craig Coleman contacted a girl online, and, after becoming aware of her age, repeatedly sexually abused her. He paid the girl and recorded some of the conduct, then tried to prevent her from cooperating with police.
In that case, Craig Coleman is also charged with unlawful contact with a minor, manufacturing child pornography, statutory sexual assault, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, corruption of minors, and intimidation of witnesses or victims. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for July 22.
This case is being prosecuted by Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle Laucella of the Child Predator Section. Criminal charges, and any discussion thereof, are merely allegations and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
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