Former Football Coach to Serve 25 Years in Prison for Child Porn Charges

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker
Times Leader
December 18, 2012

http://www.timesleader.com/stories/Former-football-to-serve-25-years-in-prison-for-child-porn-charges,242341


SCRANTON - A former Holy Redeemer football coach will serve 25 years in prison under a plea agreement reached with federal prosecutors relating to charges he enticed numerous people, including minors, from at least 13 states to engage in sexually explicit behavior over the internet.

Joseph Ostrowski of Wilkes-Barre has agreed to plead guilty to charges of production and attempted production of child pornography, extortion and cyber stalking, according to a plea agreement filed today in federal court.

Ostrowski was arrested in May after authorities said he posed as a female on Facebook to trick a male Wilkes-Barre teenager into emailing nude photos of himself, according to an arrest affidavit. He then used the images to try to extort the teen into sending more photos.

A new complaint filed Tuesday indicates he was taking part in similar conduct over a six year period that involved victims from across the United States.

The agreement states the maximum penalty for all the offenses is 37 years in prison. Prosecutors and the defense have agreed to seek a sentence of 25 years, with the understanding the plea can be withdrawn if a federal judge does not agree to the terms.