Some Historic City News readers responding to our article reporting the arrest of 42-year-old transient roofer, Cory Allen Gale, who is charged with two-counts of lewd and lascivious molestation against an 11-year-old boy and 5-year-old girl, have questioned how it is possible that Gale continued to have such close contact with the victims.
It is clear from the witness and victim statements that the family has known and had contact with Gale for some time, this was not the first suspicious sexual encounter between the family and Gale, he was known to the mother of the children, and he was known to local law enforcement.
According to the report filed by St Augustine Police Patrolman Gary Johnson, the two children are living with their mother and her fiancée in a motel room at the La Florecita Inn on Anastasia Boulevard. Among other allegations against Gale, the children’s mother told police that she had been a victim of unwelcomed sexual advances by Gale prior to this incident of alleged child molestation.
A quick check of criminal records available from the St Johns County Clerk of Court, indicates that, during the past seven years, Gale has had a number of traffic arrests, including driving under the influence, misdemeanor arrests involving alcohol and cannabis, and a felony arrest on June 2, 2008, where he was accused of aggravated battery against a pregnant victim — although those charges were dropped.
Local arrest records include:
9/21/2006
N/C County Animal Leash Law (Crt App/Arrest) (2001-19) C Adjudicated Guilty 5/2/2007
No Valid Driver License (322.03 1) M Adjudication Withheld 10/29/2007
Driving Under The Influence (316.193 1) M Adjudicated Guilty 10/29/2007
Possession Of Cannabis Less Than 20 Grams (893.13 6b) M Nolle Prossed 10/29/2007
Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia (893.147) M Nolle Prossed 10/29/2007
Attaching A Tag Not Assigned (320.261) M Nolle Prossed 6/2/2008
Aggravated Battery On Pregnant Victim (784.045 1b) F Announcement Of No Info/No Petition 9/9/2008
No Valid Driver License (322.03 1) M Adjudication Withheld 7/14/2010
Exp Tag More Than 6 Mos 1st Offense (32007 3b) I Paid Fine 10/28/2010
Riding On Exterior Of Vehicle (3162015 2) I Paid Fine 8/31/2011
Driver In Possession Of Open Container (3161936 2) N Paid Fine 11/9/2012
Driving While Lic Suspnd/Fin Resp (322.34 2) M Open 12/4/2012
Driving While Lic Suspnd/Fin Resp (322.34 2) M Open 6/19/2013
Lewd Or Lascivious Molestation (800.04 5b) F Open 6/19/2013
Lewd Or Lascivious Molestation (800.04 5b) F Open
After Officer Johnson completed his investigation at the scene, Corporal James Giammarinaro located Gale in the wooded area behind Blue Water Jewelers and transported him to the police station.
During the police interview with Gale, Officer Johnson asked him if he knew why he was at the station and Gale responded that he was not sure. When asked where he had been all day, Gale stated that he was in his tent and then he was at the La Florecita. Gale told police that he had been drinking and that he had four beers that day, but that he didn’t feel “drunk”. When asked how many beers he drinks daily, Gale responded saying “twelve, or more”.
Johnson asked Gale specifically if he had contact with any children Tuesday. Gale admitted that he had contact with “a little girl”, but, denied having contact with any other children. Gale asked Johnson, “Is this about the children?” and when Johnson inquired why he would ask that, Gale responded, “I did not do anything”.
According to the police records of the interview, when Johnson asked Gale if he had been accused of “doing something to children” before, he said no — at first. Then Gale volunteered that his ex-girlfriend accused him of being “too rough” with her 12-year-old boy. Johnson asked Gale if that was the case this time, and Gale said “no”. Gale stated that he loves the two victims, which he addressed by name, and told Johnson, again, that he did nothing wrong.
When Johnson returned to the interview room, after leaving Gale to write a sworn statement, he suggested to Gale that he knows Gale loves the two kids and that maybe he was just showing them his love and they misunderstood. Gale denied the suggestion.
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