Source: Office of United States Attorneys
Defendant is believed to have communicated with at least 20 underage females around the world; Engaged in sexualized conversations while teaching in class
BOSTON – A former science teacher at Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for allegedly coercing or enticing at least one underage female to engage in sexual conversations online and requesting she produce and send child sexual abuse material (CSAM) of herself.
John Magee Gavin, 35, of Brookline, was indicted on one count of coercion and enticement of a minor; one count of receipt of child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography. The defendant is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Boston on July 21, 2025 at 10:45 a.m.
According to court filings, Gavin is a former teacher at the Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston. Prior to that, he was a 6th grade teacher at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and was a paraprofessional with the Brookline Public Schools.
In January 2025, Gavin was allegedly identified as the owner of a Discord account who messaged at least 20 underage females between the ages of 12 and 17 years old located throughout the country, including Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina and Florida, as well as the United Kingdom and Canada. It is alleged that, in these chats, Gavin disclosed that he was a teacher, engaged in sexual conversations and often asked the minors to send him pictures of themselves engaged in sexually explicit conduct – knowing that the children were underaged. He was arrested by local authorities in February 2025 and charged in Brookline District Court with enticing a child under 16, possession of child pornography and other offenses.
A forensic review of evidence seized from Gavin’s Brookline residence allegedly revealed approximately 147 files (94 images and 53 videos) on his iPhone depicting CSAM. It is alleged that the CSAM depicted rape of both female and male minors, ranging in age from approximately five to 17 years old.
Further analysis of Gavin’s Discord account identified numerous chats with underage females in which he allegedly engaged in online masturbation sessions with the minors, solicitated images from and exchanged images with the minors and engaged in sexualized conversations with the minors while he was at school. The chats also allegedly included conversations in which Gavin expressed his sexual interest in certain students at Josiah Quincy. In one conversation, Gavin allegedly discussed his sexual interest in a freshman student at the school where he was employed as a teacher and fantasied about having sex with her.
The charge of coercion and enticement of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley and Ted E. Docks, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Brookline Police Department; the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations; and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm, Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.