A Wilkes-Barre man who admitted to trying to meet a 15-year-old girl for sex has been sentenced to state prison.
57-year-old Joseph Mark Joyce will serve 15 to 30 months behind bars, followed by two years of probation. Luzerne County Judge Michael T. Vough handed down the sentence on Thursday.
Joyce pleaded guilty to felony charges of attempted unlawful contact with a minor and criminal use of a communication facility.
Prosecutors say Joyce thought he was chatting with a teenage girl online in the fall of 2022. But it turned out to be an undercover operation led by Musa Harris, known as the Luzerne County Predator Catcher.
Authorities say Joyce sent graphic messages and nude drawings during those conversations.
As part of his sentence, Joyce must also register as a sex offender for 15 years.
