WB man sentenced to state prison for online child solicitation
May 29—WILKES-BARRE — A Wilkes-Barre man who expressed his interest to a teen girl of having sex outdoors beginning on a bridge was sentenced to state prison Thursday.
Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough sentenced Joseph Mark Joyce, 57, last known address as South Main Street, to 15-to-30 months in prison on charges of criminal attempt to commit unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of communication facility. Joyce pled guilty to the charges Feb. 14.
Kingston police charged Joyce in January 2023, based on information from a confidential witness posing online as an "almost-16-year-old girl," according to court records.
Joyce sent the girl a message, "Hey babygirl...wyd," and proceeded to communicate how he enjoys having sex outdoors and in front of people, court records say.
Joyce proposed during his online communications, court records say, they could start having sex on a bridge.
During his sentencing hearing, Joyce said he was "sorry about this."
Joyce is subject to 25 years registration as a sex offender under the state's Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act.
In an unrelated case, Joyce was sentenced to two years probation for hindering apprehension that was filed by the Pennsylvania State Police at Wilkes-Barre stemming from an incident in Plymouth Township on on Dec. 29, 2021.
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