HARRISBURG, PA — A Philadelphia man with a prior conviction for sexually abusing a child will spend at least the next two decades behind bars after authorities uncovered new child sexual abuse material during a routine parole check, state officials announced.
Eugene Wampole, 59, was sentenced Tuesday in Philadelphia County Court to 20 to 41 years in state prison after a judge deemed him a sexually violent predator. The sentence follows his conviction on five felony counts tied to the possession of child sexual abuse material discovered while he was under state supervision.
Attorney General Dave Sunday said the investigation began when state parole agents identified violations during a check-in, prompting a broader probe involving the Office of Attorney General and the FBI. Prosecutors said the findings revealed that Wampole continued to exploit children despite having already served time for a similar offense.
Sunday said the outcome ensures that a repeat offender will not be able to do further harm to any child and praised the investigative agencies for uncovering the parole violations that led to the new charges.
Wampole had previously been convicted in Montgomery County of indecent assault involving a pre-teen child and was sentenced to one to five years in state prison, followed by parole and probation. Authorities said the new offenses occurred while he was still under supervision for that earlier case.
Senior Deputy Attorney General Michelle Laucella prosecuted the most recent case.
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