A former Neshaminy Kids Club employee already charged with sexually assaulting four boys is now facing hundreds of additional felony charges for sexually assaulting a seventh victim – some crimes that were photographed and uploaded to his computer.

Gerald William Spoto, 41, of Disk Lane in Bristol Township, was charged with 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.

Additionally, he was charged with 274 counts of photographing or filming a child sex act and 275 counts of possession of child pornography, all felonies.

He was arraigned Friday, Feb. 9, 2024, by Magisterial District Judge Terrence Hughes who denied bail, citing public safety concerns and Spoto being a flight risk as he is in the process of selling his home. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Feb. 27.

Spoto was originally charged in December 2023, following an investigation by detectives with the Middletown Township Police Department. That investigation found that he sexually assaulted six boys almost two decades ago. He met the boy while working as an employee at the Neshaminy Kids Club after-school program, but none of the incidents 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, which were sent to the FBI Philadelphia’s Regional Computer Forensic Laboratory for analysis.

Middletown Township Detectives also recovered Spoto’s cellphone and found several photos of a 13-year-old boy. Detectives identified the boy and spoke to his parents.

The parents said he spent a significant amount of time with Spoto at his home on Disk Lane and about a year earlier, he started exhibiting signs of depression. They said Spoto also purchased gifts for their son, which detectives saw as classic grooming behavior.  

On Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, detectives retrieved the electronics submitted to the Philadelphia forensic lab, along with the report of content related to possible child sexual abuse material.

Three images of child sexual abuse material were located on one of the desktop computers and one Image of child sexual abuse material was located on the laptop.

In the second laptop, hundreds of images of the 13-year-old boy were located, some of them fully naked. In the photos, the boy appeared to be between 11 and 13 years of age. In some images, the victim’s genitals are exposed and being touched by an adult hand.

In total, there were 274 images containing child sexual abuse material of the 13-year-old victim.

Detectives met with the victim and his parents the next day. During a forensic interview, the boy told detectives that Spoto sexually assaulted him dozens of times starting in 2021 when he was only 11 years old.

Investigators believe there may be more victims and ask anyone with information to contact Middletown Township Police Detective John Beck at 215-750-3872, ext. 2215. 

This investigation was conducted by the Middletown Township Police Department Detectives John Beck and Kevin Platenecky.

It is assigned for prosecution to Chief Deputy District Attorney Kristin M. McElroy and Assistant District Attorney Jennifer L. Reckner.

Media Contact: Manuel Gamiz Jr., 215.348.6298, mgamiz@buckscounty.org

Criminal charges are allegations subject to proof in court. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.