By Ed Lewis
The Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — A former state corrections training officer maintains his innocence and plans to appeal a Luzerne County jury’s verdict that convicted him of molesting two female corrections officer trainees inside the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, Jackson Township.
David Andrew Hoover, 44, of Larksville, remained silent Wednesday when Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas Judge David W. Lupas sentenced him to six months to four years in state prison on two counts of indecent assault. A jury convicted him on the charges following a two-day trial in September.
Hoover’s sentence matched the request from Assistant District Attorney Adam W Bomparde, who argued Hoover started a podcast called “Negligent Discharge” after he was charged by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Intelligence, in March 2023. Bomparde said Hoover talked about the two women on his podcast, which opens with a woman’s voice saying, “Welcome to Negligent Discharge, where the drinks are stiff and so is Dave.”
“The only way to identify it ... it’s disgusting,” Bomparde said of the podcast, noting Hoover deleted the podcast episode involving the two women.
Hoover’s attorney, Michael J. Ossont, said the podcast had nothing to do with the case and should not be used against him. Ossont unsuccessfully sought a probation sentence with home confinement for Hoover, outlining his decorated U.S. Army career, where he was injured overseas.
Bomparde said he brought up the podcast to show Hoover’s moral character.
The two women Hoover was convicted of molesting and groping spoke prior to Lupas imposing the sentence. One woman called Hoover “ill” and “a sick man,” as she had to take time off from work due to his actions. The other woman said she looked forward to going to work, but Hoover left her with traumatic nightmares and anxiety.
Before he imposed the sentence, Lupas noted Hoover was in a position of authority as a supervisor over the two women, and his actions left a long-lasting impact.
Hoover is subject to 15 years of registration of his address under the state’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act.
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