A former deputy coroner from Tamaqua admitted on Wednesday to having sex with a teen boy, prompting a lengthy jail sentence and lifetime registration as a sexual offender.

Edward C. Smith pleaded guilty in Schuylkill County Court on Wednesday to two counts of involuntary sexual deviate intercourse with a minor and one count of corruption of minors.

He received a sentence of 8-16 years in state prison, on top of a 6-20 year sentence he is currently serving for soliciting sex from a detective posing as a teen boy.

On Wednesday, Smith admitted to having oral and anal sex with a teenage victim over a yearlong period ending in 2017. The victim was 14 and 15 at the time of the attacks.

While sentencing about a dozen defendants, Judge David Goodman singled out Smith to ask if he was aware of the gravity of his crimes. Smith wore an orange jumpsuit from the state prison where he is currently serving his sentence.

“Do you understand what you were doing to these young victims you were victimizing?” Goodman said.

“Yes sir,” Smith replied.

Smith’s sentence includes a lifetime registration as a Megan’s Law offender. A state panel must still determine whether Smith qualifies as a sexually violent predator.

Smith’s admitted sexual abuse was discovered after he was arrested last year for attempting to meet up with an agent from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, believing it was a teenage boy. He is currently serving 6-20 years in that case.

During the follow-up investigation, the AG’s office discovered pictures of a male child on Smith’s cellphone. Investigators interviewed the child after Smith identified him, and the child told investigators that Smith had sex with him multiple times.

The reported abuse began in 2015 at Smith’s home in Tamaqua. He paid the victim to pose for photos and perform sexual favors and made it look like the victim was being paid for legitimate work.

“This child was horrifically assaulted on multiple occasions,” said Attorney General Josh Shapiro. “I have zero tolerance for the sexual abuse of children in Pennsylvania and my office will aggressively investigate and prosecute anyone who abuses children — no matter who commits the crime. Thanks to the thoroughness of the agents and prosecutors in our Child Predator Section, this criminal is behind bars.”

Smith’s sentence is officially two 4-8 year sentences for two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, to be served consecutively. The sentences will be served consecutive to his sentence in Luzerne County. If he completes those sentences, he will have a mandatory three-year probation.