NJ sex offender who promoted pedophilia gets 46 years in prison

New Jersey 101.5 video archive

FREEHOLD BOROUGH — A Monmouth County man who advocated pedophilia while representing himself during his criminal trial last fall has been sentenced to 46 years in prison.

Gary Wolchesky, 28, of Middletown, is a self-professed pedophile who took to YouTube to lament the discrimination and mistreatment that the courts and society heap on his kind.

More insidiously, he used his Xbox to befriend young boys and convince them to send him naked and sexually explicit images of themselves.

Wolchesky was arrested in 2009 but the trial only began in October after Wolchesky and prosecutors wrangled over pre-trial legal motions.

During trial, he argued that the boys penetrated themselves on camera without his prompting and that their actions were consensual.

The four boys were between the ages of 10 and 15 at the time of the crimes. They had to come to the state from their homes in Florida, Massachusetts and North Carolina in order to testify against Wolchesky in October.

The Xbox system only stored the images for a short time, but prosecutors said Wolchesky would videotape the images. On at least one occasion, Wolchesky convinced a boy to strip for him during a video chat.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni on Friday urged parents to talk to their children "about the potential dangers of interacting with strangers on social media and gaming systems."

"Pay attention to your children’s online activities because a watchful eye is an added layer of defense against child predators,” he said.

Wolchesky's pro-pedophilia videos still appear on YouTube.

"I am a very strong supporter of pedophilia and I have no problem with that," he says in one that has remained on the social networking site since 2009.

"There's nothing wrong with it in my personal opinion and honestly I think the lawmakers that came up with these crazy — these ridiculous laws, basically. They are ridiculous laws."

In one rambling video, Wolchesky complains that convicted sex offenders have to register after serving their prison sentences and says that pedophiles should get special treatment in jail just like police officers who are locked up.

"It's obvious that judges, lawyers and cops which make these laws are little bitches and cowards but they expect someone else to go through it."

A Monmouth County jury convicted Wolchesky in November on all counts, including first-degree aggravated sexual assault and four counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child by manufacturing child pornography.

“The sexual abuse of a child is a heinous criminal act for which there is no justification," Gramiccioni said Friday. "This lengthy sentence provides a level of justice for the victims and their families. I want to commend them for their cooperation during trial and their bravery in standing up to this predator."

Wolchesky must serve at least 32 years before he is eligible for parole.

Also on New Jersey 101.5:

Sergio Bichao is deputy digital editor at New Jersey 101.5. Send him news tips: Call 609-359-5348 or email sergio.bichao@townsquaremedia.com.