Published: August 29, 2006 11:10 pm      

Three plead guilty in corruption of teen

EBENSBURG — A college administrator, a Christian bookstore owner and a police officer pleaded guilty Tuesday to corrupting the morals of a Richland Township teen in Internet chat rooms involving suspected pedophiles and boys.

Two of them – William Gillin and Paul Skiles – also pleaded guilty to two counts each of indecent assault and unlawful communications with minors. Some of the incidents took place when the boy was 16.

Gillin and Skiles are subject to review by the Pennsylvania Sex Offenders Assessment Board on whether they are sexually violent predators. The final determination will be made by Judge Gerard Long.

They will be required, under Megan’s law, to register with state police for at least 10 years as sex offenders.

The other defendant, Jeffrey Haire, entered a plea to corrupting the youth by having sexual contact with him after he became 17 years old.

Gillin, 53, of Park Avenue, is the former alumni relations director with the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Skiles, 63, of the 200 block of Suie Street, owned the former B&K Christian Bookstore in Richland Township.

Haire, of the 200 block of Leisure Avenue, was a part-time policeman with the UPJ campus police and a full-time security guard at Memorial Medical Center.

The sentencing for all three was set tentatively for Nov. 27 but could be delayed if the state assessment is not complete.

District Attorney Patrick Kiniry said the plea bargains carry no recommendations on a sentence to be imposed.

Their arrests – along with those of two other men – this year focused public attention on the growing danger of children getting involved on the Net with pedophiles, Kiniry said.

Although prosecutors drop-ped more serious offenses, the DA said it was done with the approval of the teen’s parents.

Cases are pending against the other two: William Benjamin Leckey, 39, of Harding Street, and David Walylko, 42, of the 100 block of Pebbley Street.

Leckey, in addition to being charged in incidents involving the teen, also is accused of repeatedly fondling a 13-year-old boy over several months.

The physical encounters involving the men occurred during the past several years at private residences in Greater Johnstown as well as at The Galleria, authorities have said.

The local investigation began after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children alerted local authorities about computer chat rooms involving the Richland teen.