Local News

Boston teacher charged over alleged sexual exchanges with underage girls

John Gavin, 34, of Brookline, allegedly had sexual conversations with six girls between the ages of 12 and 17, according to police.

February 8, 2025

2 minutes to read

A Boston public school teacher is facing several charges for allegedly having online sexual communications with six girls between the ages of 12 and 17, Brookline police announced Friday.

John Gavin, 34, of Brookline, was arrested early Friday morning at his home and arraigned in Brookline District Court. He faces charges of enticement of a child under the age of 16, dissemination of material harmful to minors, enticement of a child under the age of 18 to post in a state of nudity, and possession of visual material of a child depicted in sexual conduct, police said.

Until his arrest, Gavin worked as a teacher at Josiah Quincy Upper School in Boston, which serves grades six through 12. He previously worked at the Hayes School in Brookline as a paraprofessional from January to August of 2020, according to authorities.

Police said Gavin used the instant messaging platform Discord to engage in sexual communications with the minor girls. During these conversations, Gavin allegedly told the girls that he was a teacher, asked them to send nude photos of themselves, and sent photos of himself to the girls.

Investigators said the victims were located in Georgia, Texas, Tennessee, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. Police have not identified any victims from Massachusetts.

Gavin is being held on $50,000 cash bail and must wear a GPS monitor if released from custody. He was ordered to stay away from and have no contact with the alleged victims and any child under 18. He may not enter the Josiah Quincy school zone and may not leave the state. He was ordered to surrender his passport and is prohibited from using social media and texting apps like Discord, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and TikTok. A probation officer will also monitor his cell phone use.

Following Gavin’s arrest on Friday, Boston Public Schools issued a statement saying he had been put on administrative leave. School officials also noted that before hiring Gavin, they had conducted all required employment checks, including a criminal background check and fingerprinting. The school system said they also collected personal and professional references.

Anyone who believes they may have been a victim in this case can contact Brookline detectives by calling 617-730-2244.