Former Pennsylvania senator sentenced on child pornography charges
Former Pennsylvania state Sen. Mike Folmer, R-Lebanon, speaks at a Senate committee hearing, Wednesday, March 28, 2018.
(The Center Square) – Former Lebanon County Republican Sen. Mike Folmer began his two-year prison sentence on Tuesday after pleading guilty to child pornography possession charges earlier this year.
“I’m not mad at anyone but myself,” Folmer told the judge, according a report from PennLive. “I let my Lord down. I let my family down. I let my constituents down.”
Folmer’s 14-year career as state senator came crashing down last September after federal and state agents seized his personal phone in search of sexually explicit images of minors he downloaded from a Tumblr account in 2017. The legislator blamed a pornography addiction for his behavior and investigators don’t believe he actively engaged in creating or disseminating any material.
Attorney General Josh Shapiro released a statement Tuesday afternoon regarding Folmer’s sentence, saying “no one is above the law.”
“This was a public official whose constituents trusted to do what’s right, but he failed,” he said. “He engaged in the sexual exploitation of children. No one is above the law, including those who make the laws. I will continue to work to protect children and hold those who abuse them accountable.”
