Pediatric doctor in child porn case gets prison

By WTOP Staff
July 11, 2014 | 3:50 PM

ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS
AP Legal Affairs Writer

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A former top pediatric cancer doctor was sentenced to a year and one day in federal prison Friday following his guilty plea to a charge of accessing child pornography.

Before sentencing, Christopher Pelloski told federal Judge James Graham he had harmed children, shamed his family and burdened colleagues in the pediatric cancer field by committing a crime that meant he would never practice medicine again.

Pelloski, the former director of Ohio State University’s pediatric cancer radiation program, said he also added to the pain felt by families whose children he was treating, since they had to wonder if he had ever harmed their children.

“I’ve generated a lot of harm and I’ve hurt those who loved me the most,” Pelloski said.

The government found no evidence that Pelloski committed crimes with children under his care.

Graham also fined Pelloski $10,000, placed him on federal supervision for five years after his release from prison and strictly restricted his future Internet use. Pelloski must also register as a sex offender.

Pelloski said he hopes to get a job researching cancer cures and become an anti-child pornography advocate.

Graham said his goal was imposing a sentence strict enough to reflect the seriousness of the crime but taking into account several positive things about Pelloski, including his career spent researching and treating childhood cancer.

The judge said Pelloski’s case highlighted the “mushrooming social phenomenon spawned by the literal ocean of pornography, adult and child, that circulates on the Internet.”

Graham allowed Pelloski, 40, to stay free on bond and report to a federal prison in two months. Graham said he would recommend a low-security camp-type facility as close to Columbus as possible.

Assistant federal prosecutor Heather Hill had sought a sentence of at least 18 months. She noted Pelloski’s activity dated back to 2007.

“He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he chose to continue doing it over and over and over again,” she said.

A criminal complaint against Pelloski last summer said he acknowledged to investigators that he used his home desktop computer and a laptop belonging to Ohio State University to download child pornography, including videos and photos.

Evidence against Pelloski included two graphic videos and about 85 images of child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached on Twitter at https://twitter.com/awhcolumbus

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
July 14, 2026 | 6:30 PM

Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers

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