A former San Jose city code enforcement officer was sentenced Friday to 35 years in prison for abusing his power in order to extort sex and solicit bribes from massage business owners and for molesting two children prior to his work with the city.
SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – MAY 20: William Gerry, center, seated between his attorneys Elizabeth Grossman, left, and Lyn Agre, wait for victims to leave the courtroom after the sentencing hearing at the Santa Clara County Courthouse in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, May 20, 2022. Gerry, a former San Jose code enforcement officer, who has been convicted of abusing his permitting power to extort sex and solicit bribes from massage business owners, was sentenced to 35 years.
“The defendant is set to serve 35 short years in prison for his crimes and though I’m thankful that he’ll be locked away and society will be safer, for now, I cannot help but sit in pain knowing that I’m serving a life sentence because he chose to destroy my life for his own pleasure,” she said. “He has acknowledged his wrongdoing and prayed that those affected by his actions will be able to move forward on the path of healing,” his attorney, Lyn Agre, said during a brief statement.