By DEN MCLAUGHLIN

dmclaughlin@tnonline.com

A Jim Thorpe man, who admitted to sexually assaulting a young boy on numerous occasions and also a second boy in another incident, was sentenced today to a state prison term of 15 to 30 years.

Judge Steven R. Serfass sentenced Kevin W. Gowrie, 43, to the long prison term on charges of rape of a child, rape by forcible compulsion, aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault. He previously pleaded to the charges.

Gowrie was originally charged with 76 counts for incidents involving a then 12-year-old boy at his residence in the borough. He also admitted sexually assaulting a then 16-year-old boy in Penn Forest Township in another incident.

Police say there were at least four alleged assaults, which all occurred at Gowrie’s home. Gowrie allegedly raped the victim and forced him to perform sex acts. He also threatened him through social media, allegedly writing, “I know where you live, I know where you sleep.”

Both the 12- and 16-year-olds said that Gowrie had been communicating with them via Facebook for about two and a half years.

The incident with the 16-year-old occurred along Behrens Road in Penn Forest Township on Sept. 2, 2016. The victim said Gowrie communicated with him on social media and arranged to pick him up. They drove around for a while before Gowrie pulled over along Behrens Road. He gave the teen a bottle of vodka and let him drink it. Gowrie then performed a sex act on the victim.

In the case with the 16-year-old he pleaded to one count of corruption of a minor.