A Swatara Twp. man who was the former Mount Carmel police lieutenant has lost another appeal of his child pornography conviction.

The 3rd U.S. Court of Appeals Thursday refused to issue a certificate of appealability finding Blaine R. Handerhan had not made a substantial showing his constitutional rights had been violated.

Handerhan had appealed the September ruling in which U.S. Middle District Senior Judge William W. Caldwell refused to vacate his conviction and eight-year prison term.

Among the claims Caldwell had rejected was ineffective counsel. Handerhan contended the late Matthew Gover was ineffective because he was suffering from brain cancer. Gover died in 2012.

Although Gover's brain tumor was not discovered until after Handerhan had pleaded guilty on Oct. 5, 2011, the retired police officer argued the illness could have had an effect on the lawyer's representation.

Caldwell also had rejected Handerhan's claims of a speedy trial violation, failure to investigate a potential mental issue and improper seizure of a computer because of an incorrect address on a search warrant.

Police alleged they discovered 147,070 images and 1,250 video files depicting child pornography on a computer seized when Handerhan's Swatara Twp. home was searched on Feb. 6, 2006.

Handerhan retired from the Mount Carmel force in 2005 after nearly 31 years an officer. He was acting chief there for a period.