SMETHPORT — A Kane man will serve time in state prison for child pornography allegations.
Curtis A. Haight, 65, appeared Thursday in McKean County Court to be sentenced before President Judge John Pavlock for two cases: the child porn case, and a bad checks case.
Haight was sentenced to four to eight years in state prison with credit for 339 days of time served.
Haight will have to register as a sex offender for his lifetime.
District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer explained that even though the new conviction by itself would normally require a 15-year registration, there are two reasons Haight will need to register for life: one, he was deemed a sexually violent predator, and two, he has a prior sexual offense conviction.
He pleaded guilty in July in one case to a charge of child pornography, a second-degree felony, and in the other case to bad checks, a third-degree midsmeanor.
Court records filed at the time of his arrest on the child porn charge alleged that law enforcement officials executed a search warrant at Haight’s residence due to evidence connecting his IP address to online child porn activity. He was there and agreed to talk to officers, allegedly admitting to having many images on his tablet computer in the camper where he was sleeping.
Court records filed in the other case alleged that Haight gave two counterfeit checks to his landlord to pay rent and late fees.
At one point during the sentencing hearing, Pavlock started to explain the registration requirements, but Haight told him, “I had to do that crap for nine years. I know all about what I have to do.”
Pavlock explained he needed to provide the information because Haight faces a big penalty if he does not follow the requirements exactly.
As the judge talked, Haight interrupted again to say that he’s had to read the requirements four times a year.
Haight’s attorney, Stephanie Smith, told her client not to interrupt the judge.
Before giving the sentence, Pavlock asked Haight if there was anything he wanted to say before he was sentenced.
Haight told Pavlock, “I stayed in my bedroom and downloaded (photographs),” and now Pavlock is going to ruin his life. “What are you doing for all the people who are abusing those children and have those pictures on the internet?”
Pavlock explained that it is Haight who is in front of him, not anyone else.
Haight asserted that state police would have names of people who abuse children from the investigation into the case, and he seemed concerned the names would no longer be available if police didn’t hurry up and investigate them.
In his reply, Pavlock explained it is up to the state police to investigate, not him, so he can’t answer Haight’s question.
“Well if you want to ruin my life like that, why don’t you just give me the needle?” Haight wondered.
The Pennsylvania State Police Megan’s Law website indicates that Haight started registering as a sex offender on Dec. 18, 2009, after he was convicted of charges including sexual abuse of children and transportation of child pornography.
