Published: April 08, 2008 01:46 am            

COURTS: Man gets prison time in sex abuse case

A Buffalo man who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a young City of Lockport girl will serve prison time.

Timothy L. Gilpatrick, 27, 38 Boyd St., Buffalo, was sentenced Monday in Niagara County Court to two to four years in prison. Gilpatrick pleaded guilty Nov. 13 to first-degree attempted sexual abuse, a felony.

He was arrested by city police in January 2007 and originally charged with first-degree sexual abuse, first-degree sodomy and endangering the welfare of a child.

The arrest followed an investigation into sexual abuse that took place in Lockport between August 2002 and March 2004 involving a girl who was 5 years old when the incidents began.

Gilpatrick recently underwent back surgery, necessitating the long delay between the plea and his sentencing date.

Before the sentence was handed down, Gilpatrick, who walked into the courtroom with a cane, begged Judge William J. Watson to sentence him to house arrest due to his medical condition.

He told Watson he recently had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back, and he may need more surgery in the future.

“I’m required to sleep in a regular bed for extra support,” Gilpatrick said. “I need round-the-clock care.”

He said he is on two pain medications, but “they’re like sugar pills to me because of the pain.”

Watson said he wished Gilpatrick all the best in his recovery, but sentenced him to prison time.

“I’m a little bit more concerned with the status of the 7-year-old victim in this prison matter and what she’s having to go through,” Watson said.

Gilpatrick broke down in tears as he was being led from the courtroom.

This was Gilpatrick’s second felony conviction; he was convicted in March 2001 of second-degree criminal mischief in Niagara County.

Gilpatrick’s attorney, public defender Alfonso Bax, said his client Gilpatrick’s physical condition is compounded by “mental and emotional disturbances” and that he has “expressed remorse” for the crime.

Gilpatrick apologized to the victim, her family and the court for his actions.

“The things that occurred should never have occurred,” he told Watson. “I learned my lesson in so many different ways. It did put a real big jog into my head and really woke me up to things.”

Contact reporter April Amadon at 439-9222, ext. 6251.

        

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