DOYLESTOWN, PA — Gerald William Spoto, a former employee of the Neshaminy Kids Club, is facing an extensive list of additional felony charges related to the sexual assault of a seventh victim. The Bucks County District Attorney’s Office made the announcement, revealing that some of the alleged crimes were photographed and uploaded to his computer.
Spoto, 41, of Disk Lane in Bristol Township, was initially charged in December 2023 following an investigation by detectives with the Middletown Township Police Department. The investigation found that he had allegedly sexually assaulted six boys nearly two decades ago.
New charges filed against Spoto include three felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, two counts each of indecent assault of a person less than 13 and indecent assault of a person less than 16, and one count each of corruption of minors and unlawful contact with a minor. Furthermore, he faces 274 counts of photographing or filming a child sex act and 275 counts of possession of child pornography, all felonies.
It should be noted that while Spoto met the victims while working at the Neshaminy Kids Club after-school program, none of the incidents are alleged to have occurred at the club.
During the initial investigation, detectives served a search warrant at Spoto’s home and recovered a laptop and two desktop computers. These were sent to the FBI Philadelphia’s Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory for analysis. Detectives also recovered Spoto’s cellphone, which contained several photos of a 13-year-old boy.
The parents of the boy told detectives that their son spent significant time with Spoto at his Disk Lane home and began showing signs of depression about a year earlier. They also reported that Spoto had bought gifts for their son, behavior detectives recognize as typical grooming.
On February 5, 2024, detectives retrieved the electronics and the report of content related to possible child sexual abuse material from the forensic lab. Hundreds of images of the 13-year-old boy were found on the second laptop, some featuring him fully naked. In total, there were 274 images containing child sexual abuse material of the 13-year-old victim.
The boy, in a subsequent forensic interview, told detectives that Spoto had sexually assaulted him dozens of times starting in 2021 when he was only 11 years old.
Spoto was arraigned on Friday, February 9, 2024, by Magisterial District Judge Terrence Hughes who denied bail citing public safety concerns and the risk of Spoto fleeing as he is in the process of selling his home. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for February 27.
Investigators believe there may be more victims and are urging anyone with information to contact Middletown Township Police Detective John Beck at 215-750-3872, ext. 2215.
This case, which has sent shockwaves through the community, underscores the importance of vigilance and open communication about potential signs of abuse. It serves as a stark reminder that the fight against child sexual exploitation requires the ongoing efforts of law enforcement, community members, and institutions alike.
As always, it’s important to remember that these charges are allegations. Spoto, like all individuals facing potential criminal charges, is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The details of this case could change as the investigation progresses and additional information emerges.
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