HARRISBURG — Attorney General Josh Shapiro today announced the arrest of a suspended Pennsylvania state constable accused of abusing his official authority by soliciting at least seven women for sex.
George T. Bottomley Jr., 41, was arrested following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigations.
He is charged with promoting prostitution, bribery in official and political matters, obstructing administration of law or other government function and involuntary servitude.
Bottomley worked in Lansford, Carbon County. Investigators charge that over more than five years Bottomley offered to “help” at least seven women by paying their court costs and fines, or overlooking warrants issued for their arrest. In exchange, he encouraged the women to have sex with him.
“These charges involve an outrageous abuse of authority from an elected public official whose position requires the public’s trust,” Shapiro said.
“This defendant used his power and position to prey upon women to feed his own desires. It is terrible conduct and we’ll prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law.”
Two women had sex with Bottomley because they felt obligated to do so because of Bottomley’s constable position.
One of the women he solicited told investigators she had sex with Bottomley because she felt threatened. Bottomley told the woman she would soon have a warrant issued for her arrest, but it “wasn’t in the system yet.”
The woman told investigators she feared Bottomley would use his power as a constable to take her away from her child.
Five other women gave similar accounts to investigators. One woman who Bottomley solicited for sex told investigators that he offered to provide her money so the woman’s boyfriend could pay off outstanding fines he owed to the district court where Bottomley was assigned.
Bottomley, of the 200 block of W. Bertsch St., Lansford, appeared Tuesday afternoon for a preliminary arraignment. He was released from custody after posting 10 percent of $20,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for April 26.
He will be prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Rebecca Elo of the Attorney General’s Criminal Prosecutions Section.
