Originally Posted - July 19, 2006

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SYRACUSE---Former Oswego Mayor John Gosek will be spending the next 37 months in federal prison for using a city owned cell phone to try to solicit sex from two 15-year old girls.

Gosek, 59, appeared before U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy Tuesday for sentencing. He had pleaded guilty in March to one of two criminal counts which had been handed down against him last fall by a federal grand jury after his phones were tapped in a FBI sting operation. The U.S. Attorney's office agreed to dismiss a second charge that in 2004 he allegedly tried to arrange a sexual tryst with a 14-year-old girl. Both counts had alleged that Gosek used a phone to "persuade, induce, entice and coerce girls under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity".

He could have faced a maximum of 30 years in prison. Although the minimum sentence is five years, the judge had the discretion to impose whatever sentence he thought was appropriate.

Gosek, who had served as Oswego mayor from 2000 to 2005, had resigned as mayor after his arrest. He will have to register with the state as a sex offender following his release from prison.

Gosek had admitted paying $250 to a woman he believed had arranged for him to have sex with two teenage girls at a Syracuse hotel. The woman was an FBI informant.

His attorney asked for leniency in sentencing, saying that the girls were fictitious. A psychologist's report was filed with the court showing that the mayor suffers from a personality disorder triggered by alcohol. 7-19-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette