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WILKES-BARRE — A former city police lieutenant pleaded guilty Monday to molesting a child nearly 70 years his junior.

Gerald John Cookus, 78, of Mayock Street, Wilkes-Barre, admitted in April to inappropriately touching the 8-year-old girl while the two were together inside a private residence. He remarked at the time he feared the accusation would destroy his life and career, investigators said.

The former Wilkes-Barre police officer did not address the court except to acknowledge pleading guilty to indecent assault of a person under the age of 13. He and his attorney, Frank Nocito, declined to comment as they left the courtroom.

Luzerne County Judge Joseph Sklarosky Jr. accepted Cookus’ plea and scheduled his sentencing for Feb. 7.

A former Wilkes University security chief who was most recently a greeter at Plains/Solomon Junior High School, Cookus faces a maximum sentence of seven years in prison and must register with the Pennsylvania State Police for life as a sexual offender, Assistant District Attorney Jenny Roberts said.

Roberts said it’s important to hold officials accountable for betraying the public’s trust, especially one “who had his position, being a prior detective who would investigate these types of crimes.”

Cookus, then 77, was charged in April with endangering the welfare of children and indecent sexual assault of a person under the age of 13. The latter charge was bound for county court after Cookus waived his preliminary hearing later that month.

In an interview with police, the victim’s mother stated she witnessed the abuse, which she said included Cookus “flickering” the victim’s genitals on the outside of her pants. The victim, in a separate interview with forensic investigators, said Cookus touched her buttocks multiple times, according to the affidavit.

The Times Leader does not identify sexual assault victims.

Cookus allegedly told investigators he did it because he “thought she liked it,” but denied touching the victim’s genitals. He allegedly said he believed the charges would “ruin his life and career as a law enforcement officer,” the affidavit says.

Cookus is to have no unsupervised contact with minors and must avoid schools, public parks, or other places where children frequent, Sklarosky ordered. Cookus remains free on bail.

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https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_CookusMug-2.jpg.optimal.jpgCookus
Gerald Cookus pleads guilty to indecent assault

By Joe Dolinsky

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Reach Joe Dolinsky at 570-991-6110 or on Twitter @JoeDolinskyTL.