06/24/2008

Associated Press

A man who spent almost 40 years in prison for murdering two young children and was convicted in April of molesting a 7-year-old boy was sentenced Tuesday to three years in prison for possession of child pornography.

Richard Dobeski, 60, already had been sentenced to eight years on the molesting conviction, and LaPorte Circuit Judge Tom Alevizos ordered the sentences to run consecutively for a total of 11 years.

Dobeski also would have to register as a sex offender upon his release.

Defense attorney Kurt Earnst asked the judge to allow Dobeski to serve part of his sentence on probation so he could receive mental health treatment not offered in prison, but Alevizos said therapy would be available in prison.

Dobeski's latest convictions sprung from an investigation in Pulaski County where three boys last summer alleged Dobeski offered them $50 to take their pictures. As part of the investigation, a warrant was obtained by Pulaski County authorities to search Dobeski's mobile home.

The search turned up two floppy disks that Pulaski County Sheriff Michael Gayer testified contained pictures of nude boys who appeared to be under 16.

The victim in the molestation case testified at trial he often visited Dobeski in his home where they wrestled and built a model airplane together. One time, the boy said, Dobeski pulled down his shorts and fondled him.

Dobeski denied the charge.

Dobeski was sentenced to life in prison in 1964 for the murders of 6-year-old and 3-year-old siblings in Long Beach. In 1984, an appeal reduced the sentence to 40 years, and he was released in 2003.

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Information from: South Bend Tribune, http://www.southbendtribune.com