Leah B. Foley United States Attorney for the District of Massachusetts | Department of Justice
A former science teacher at Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston was sentenced on Mar. 11 to 10 years in federal prison for coercing and enticing at least one underage female to engage in sexual conversations online and requesting that she produce and send child sexual abuse material of herself.
The sentencing of John Magee Gavin, 35, of Brookline, follows his guilty plea in December 2025 to charges including coercion and enticement of a minor, receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the safety of minors online and the responsibilities of educators.
Gavin previously worked at the Academy of the Pacific Rim Charter Public School in Hyde Park and as a paraprofessional with Brookline Public Schools. According to court filings, he used a Discord account to contact at least 20 underage females between the ages of 12 and 17 across several states as well as internationally. In these chats, Gavin disclosed his occupation as a teacher, engaged in sexual conversations with minors, and requested sexually explicit images from them while knowing their ages. He was arrested by local authorities in February 2025 after being charged with enticing a child under 16, possession of child pornography, and other offenses.
A forensic review found approximately 147 files depicting child sexual abuse material on Gavin’s iPhone. The material included images and videos showing rape involving both female and male minors ranging from about five to seventeen years old. Further analysis revealed that Gavin had engaged in online masturbation sessions with minors via Discord, solicited images from them, exchanged images, and conducted sexualized conversations while at school. Some chats also showed him expressing sexual interest in students at Josiah Quincy Upper School.
United States Attorney Leah B. Foley said valuable assistance came from the Brookline Police Department; Tennessee Bureau of Investigations; and Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation through coordinated efforts among federal, state, and local agencies.
