Former Brookline Teacher Sentenced On Child Exploitation Charges

BROOKLINE, MA — A resident and former teacher was sentenced to federal prison on child exploitation charges, according to the United States District Attorney’s Office.

John Magee Gavin, 35, was first indicted last July after authorities discovered he was using the instant messaging and social media platform Discord to communicate with young girls between the ages of 12 and 17 from six different states, as well as Canada and the United Kingdom. He officially pleaded guilty in federal court in December to one count each of coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

The Attorney’s Office said that Gavin’s online communications with the minors included inappropriate video sessions, exchanges of photos, and conversations in which Gavin expressed his attraction toward specific students at Boston's Josiah Quincy Upper School, where he taught at the time. Nearly 150 files of child sex abuse material were discovered on Gavin’s iPhone, which reportedly included the sexual assault of both male and female minors between the ages of five and 17.

Magee was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release by U.S. Senior District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV on Friday, March 13. Prior to working at Josiah Quincy as a science teacher, Magee also taught sixth grade for the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and was a paraprofessional in the Brookline school district.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 with the goal of combatting the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

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