Carbon man sentenced to state prison on sexual assault counts

A Carbon County man was sentenced to a state prison term on Friday in Carbon County court on sexual assault related charges.

Thomas Lee Gehres Sr., 70, of Jim Thorpe, was sentenced by Judge Joseph J. Matika to serve two to four years in a state correctional institution on a charge of incest and two years of probation on a charge of indecent assault. The terms run concurrent. Gehres previously pleaded to the charges.

Jim Thorpe police Detective Lee Marzen charged Gehres with rape; rape with threat of forcible compulsion; involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; sexual assault; aggravated indecent sexual assault; indecent assault forcible compulsion; indecent assault without consent; and incest. All the other charges were dropped in a plea bargain. The alleged incidents occurred on Dec. 10, 2017.

The indecent assault charge stems from a separate offense involving the same victim in May 2017 at his home in Jim Thorpe.

The victim’s family agreed to the plea agreement, it was noted.

Defense Attorney Matthew J. Mottola, of the public defender’s office, said prison has taken its toll on Gehres, who has been in jail for more than 300 days on the charges.

He said Gehres has many health problems including mental health issues. Mottola noted that the state sexual offender’s assessment board determined Gehres was not a violent sexual offender and has a low risk to offend again.

Gehres told Matika, “I wish this never happened.” He claimed he was on heavy medication at the time of the incidents, adding, “I really don’t remember what happened.”

Matika said that statement contradicts what Gehres told the probation officer who prepared a presentence investigation report. Matika added the defendant and friends admitted to watching pornography.

In addition to the prison term, Matika ordered Gehres to submit to a sexual offender’s evaluation, have no contact with the victim or her family, supply a DNA sample, pay court costs of about $1,000 and pay restitution of $112.96.

The charges fall under Megan’s Law. Gehres must register for the next 15 years as a sexual offender and follow all conditions set forth in the law.

He was given credit for 313 days spent in prison to date on the charges.