GUILTY AGAIN
Ex-firefighter enters no contest plea to Delco child rape offenses
In this file photo, John Corcoran leaves court. The former volunteer firefighter entered no contest pleas to child rape charges in Delaware County court Tuesday.
MEDIA COURTHOUSE >> A former volunteer firefighter already sentenced to 28 years in a federal prison for the manufacture and possession of child pornography pled guilty Tuesday to additional child sex charges.
John Corcoran IV, 22, of the first block of North Ridgeway Avenue in Glenolden, entered open guilty pleas to two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, one count of criminal solicitation to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and one count of criminal solicitation to commit indecent assault.
Corcoran, represented by defense attorney Scott Godshall, additionally entered open “no contest” pleas to one count of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, two counts of criminal solicitation to commit indecent assault and three counts of child sexual abuse.
The plea brings to a close all open charges pending against Corcoran, who has also pleaded guilty to arson and related crimes for a string of fires in the summer of 2014. It was the arsons, investigated by Folcroft Officer Daniel White, that brought the child sexual abuse to light.
Corcoran, a former member of the Goodwill Fire Co. No. 1 in Darby Township, was arrested with a 17-yearold male accomplice in August 2014 for the trio of fires in vacant homes between May and July. Two of the fires were in the Briarcliffe section of the township and one was in Folcroft. The minor, a Tinicum resident, was charged as a juvenile.
Corcoran – who endeared himself to police and fire fighters as “little Johnny” at a young age – admitted his role in those fires after being called in for questioning Aug. 2, 2014. He entered open guilty pleas to three counts each of arson, corruption of minors and conspiracy to arson in November.
Corcoran was charged again in January 2015 for sexually exploiting or abusing more than two dozen young victims. He pleaded guilty in a Philadelphia federal court in July 2016 to 20 counts of using or inducing a child to pose for child pornography images and one count of possession of child pornography, for which he was sentenced to 28 years in federal prison in October.
Court documents described Corcoran as “the Pied Piper of the neighborhood, in that he always had a trail of children following him.” The victims ranged in age from 5 to 13.
Corcoran would groom his victims by giving them money, buying them food from McDonald’s, giving them toys, or by letting them swim in his pool and hot tub. In exchange, Corcoran made them engage in mutual masturbation, perform oral sex upon him and allow him to perform oral sex on them. Corcoran also made some of the older boys perform sex acts on their younger brothers while he watched and masturbated.
Corcoran would videotape or photograph his victims using a cellphone and transfer the images to his computer, according to authorities. His voice can be heard on each video.
Most of the crimes took place at the Glenolden home Corcoran shared with his parents, though others occurred at the Ridley YMCA and the Swedish Cabin historic site in Upper Darby. Neither Corcoran’s parents nor the YMCA said they were aware of the assaults. The federal indictment also indicated Corcoran abused one child in Garnet Valley in June 2014.
Deputy District Attorney Michael Galantino said Corcoran faces up to 148 years in prison for the charges he pleaded to Tuesday, if sentenced consecutively. He is also facing up to 75 years for the arson case, which was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sandra Urban.
Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge George Pagano set sentencing in both cases for June 6, pending a presentence investigation and updated psychosexual evaluation. Corcoran will also undergo an evaluation by the state Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to determine whether he meets the criteria for a sexually violent predator.
Corcoran, a former member of the Goodwill Fire Co. No. 1 in Darby Township, was arrested with a 17-year-old male accomplice in August 2014 for the trio of fires in vacant homes between May and July. Two of the fires were in the Briarcliffe section of the township and one was in Folcroft. The minor, a Tinicum resident, was charged as a juvenile.