Credit: Bucks County District Attorney’s Office
A former after-school program employee and babysitter accused of sexually assaulting boys is facing hundreds of new charges.
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Gerald William Spoto, 41, of Bristol Township’s Levittown section, was charged on Friday with 558 new counts, including involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, unlawful contact with a minor for sexual offenses, child pornography, and photograph/film/depict on a computer a sex act involving a child.
The new case follows charges that were previously filed late last year and in January.
According to court papers filed by Middletown Township police, the newest charges and latest reported victim, the seventh, came from information obtained during December search warrants on Spoto’s home on Disk Lane in Levittown, his electronic devices, and his Toyota Rav4.
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Looking at images located on Spoto’s iPhone, investigators were able to identify the new victim, who initially denied Spoto sexually abused him before later telling investigators what happened, police said.
This week, detectives reported that more than 274 items of sexual abuse material involving the latest victim, a boy, were located, police said.
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The parents of the boy reported they noticed his behavior change after he spent more time with Spoto and that Spoto would buy him gifts, police said.
The alleged sexual abuse occurred when the boy was between the ages of 11 and 12 years old.
In the previous case, the alleged assaults occurred between 2000 and 2004, and the victims were between 7 and 13 years old at the time.
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Spoto was formerly employed by the after-school program Neshaminy Kids Club and had babysat for some families in the area, according to authorities.
Spoto came into contact with many of his victims through his job at Neshaminy Kids Club, investigators said.
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One of the previous victims told a detective that he had concern there were other victims.
Spoto is already heading to trial on 23 charges, including aggravated indecent assault of a person less than 16 years old, corruption of minors, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, and indecent assault.
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Spoto’s attorney attempted to reduce his bail at a hearing last month, but District Judge Daniel Baranoski denied that move and kept the defendant confined on 10 percent of $1 million bail.
The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Vinny Vella reported last month that prosecutors said Spoto would have access to children if released and he recently attempted to adopt a child.
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Spoto’s home in Levittown is pending a sale for more than $300,000, according to real estate listings.
At a preliminarily arraignment late Friday morning for Spoto on the newest case, District Judge Terry Hughes made a decision reserved for the most serious cases by denying bail. He ordered Spoto to not have contact with his alleged victims, turn in his passport, have no contact with kids, and not have internet access.
The FBI’s regional computer laboratory assisted local police with the investigation.
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Anyone with information related to Spoto has been asked to contact Middletown Township Police Department Detective John Beck at 215-750-3872 ext. 2215.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
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