35-YEAR SENTENCE IN PORN PLEA DEAL

Newsday/Robert E. Kessler

Joseph Burkett, a 41 year old clerk at a Setauket deli with a history of sexually abusingchildren, has been charged with molesting several boys, at least one of whom he met on the MySpaceWeb site, after using the Internet to lure them to his Sound Beach home.  Burkett, ofShinnecock Drive in Sound Beach, was arrested June 14, 2007 and charged with two counts of using achild in a sexual performance, one count of committing a criminal sexual act and one count ofsexual abuse.  Officials have identified five male victims, all between the ages of 12 and14.  Burkett pleaded not guilty and was held on $500,000 cash bail or $1 million bond.
Burkett's criminal history in New York goes back to 1986, when he pleaded guilty tomisdemeanor endangering the welfare of a child and got three years' probation.  In 1988, hewas charged with first degree sodomy but later pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of felony sexualabuse.  He served six months in Suffolk County jail.  Burkett was not a registered sexoffender because his conviction predated Megan's Law.  Police request that anyone with furtherinformation about these incidents call CrimeStoppers at 800-220-TIPS.
Burkett pleaded not guilty on June 26, 2007 to new charges that he sexually abused two boysand took explicit photographs of them.  He was arraigned on an indictment that includescharges of sodomy, possessing a sexual performance by a child, using a child in a sexualperformance and endangering the welfare of a child.
On May 21, 2009, Burkett, now 43, pleaded guilty to taking pornographic pictures of ateenage boy for his sexual gratification in a plea bargain that will result in a mandatory prisonsentence of 35 years.  He received the 35-year sentence because under federal law he had beenconvicted twice of crimes involving minors.  The first offense calls for a 15-year sentence;the second offense a 25-year sentence. 
In an unrelated case, Thomas Libby, a Manhasset man, was arraigned on charges of sending andreceiving child pornography.  Libby, an accountant, pleaded not guilty.  He assumed theonline identity of a mother with young daughters while trafficking in child pornography.  Hehad been a coach for a local Little League team that one of his sons was on.  Libby was heldwithout bail pending future hearings.
(New York)