BUCKS COUNTY, Pa.

Kiddie Porn Repeat Offender: Thomas Heck, 60, of New Britain Borough in Bucks County, was sentenced to 8.5 to 17 years of state incarceration Friday for child porn possession. He was found guilty June 4 of felony possession of child pornography after a non-jury trial before Bucks County Common Pleas Court Judge Rea Boylan. That was Heck’s second conviction for the same crime. In March 2014, Bucks County President Judge Jeffrey Finley placed him on five years of probation after Heck pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography. While serving that earlier sentence, Heck was caught again, this time by his probation officer. During a scheduled visit of his residence last October, the officer saw images of naked or partially clothed children on Heck’s cellphone and confiscated it. A court-approved search of the phone by the Computer Forensics Unit of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office revealed more than 50 images of child pornography. Heck was arrested Oct. 23, 2017, and has been in custody ever since. In return for Heck’s agreement to forfeit his right to appeal, Bucks County Deputy District Attorney Matthew S. Lannetti and Assistant Public Defender William D. Oetinger negotiated a recommended sentence of five to 10 years for the most recent conviction. Lannetti and Oetinger also agreed that Heck’s probation from his initial conviction be revoked, and that he be sentenced to serve a consecutive three and onehalf to seven years in prison, for a total of 8.5 to 17 years. Boylan accepted the terms of the negotiation, imposed the sentence and ordered

Heck to undergo sex offender treatment in prison. Heck also will be required for the rest of his life to register as a sex offender with Pennsylvania State Police.

Homicide Arrest: Jason K. Lutey, 42, of New Britain Borough in Bucks County, was arrested and charged with criminal homicide Saturday on allegations he intentionally, knowingly, recklessly or negligently caused the death of his girlfriend, 46-year-old Colleen Patterson, who lived with him on the 100 block of Keeley Avenue. Police on Friday night found Patterson’s body in the rear of Lutey’s 2018 Toyota Highlander that was parked outside his residence. According to a probable cause affidavit, Lutey’s sister called 9-1-1 around 8:30 p.m. Friday, stating that her brother had killed his girlfriend at his home. Lutey was arraigned by video before Senior Magisterial District Judge Leonard J. Brown and held without bail.