Milford, PA.-Pike County District Attorney Ray Tonkin announced the sentence of a Luzerne County man who traveled to Pike County to engage in sexual acts with two children ages 5 and 10. John Gately, age 46, with a last known address of Hughestown, Pennsylvania, was previously convicted by a Pike County Jury of two counts of criminal attempt to rape a child, two counts of criminal attempt to commit involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of a child, criminal attempt to commit aggravated indecent assault, criminal attempt to produce child sexual abuse material, criminal solicitation to commit sexual exploitation of a child, forty-eight counts of dissemination of child sexual abuse material, possession of child sexual abuse material and criminal use of a communication facility. Pike County President Judge Gregory H. Chelak sentenced Gately to a total sentence of 52 ½ years up to 111 years of state correctional incarceration, a concurrent period of probation supervision of 24 months, followed by a 3-year consecutive term of probation supervision along with a fine of $31,000.00.

The testimony at the three-day trial demonstrated that Gately had been communicating with a woman regarding his desire to engage in sexual contact with two children. During the communication, Gateley sent forty-eight child sexual abuse images.  After investigators learned that Gately was traveling to Pike County to engage in sex with two children, they arrested him when he arrived in Pike County. Further investigation revealed more child sexual abuse material on Gately’s cell phone that contained many videos of toddlers, as well as even infants being abused. 

District Attorney Ray Tonkin expressed deep satisfaction with the sentence. “This sentence will enforce Gately will never be in a position to hunt a child. We will continue to seek to root out each and every child predator that walks among us to arrest and prosecute them.”

                Anyone who has any information on any person abusing children should call Pennsylvania Childline at 800-932-0313.