A Butler man has been charged in two separate cases for sexual crimes against minors more than 30 years later.

According to both sets of charging documents, John “Jay” Goettler, 55, is accused of rape and sexual assaults during the late 1970s and early 1980s.

According to Trooper Josh Black, the statute of limitations is extended through an exemption in instances involving minors. He said the District Attorney's Office was consulted before the charges were filed.

“As long as the offense happened to someone 18 years or less, charges can be filed until that person reaches 55 years of age,” Black said.

State police filed multiple felony charges Monday against Goettler, including four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and one count of rape.

Those charges were filed before District Judge Sue Haggerty, and they also include three misdemeanor counts of indecent assault.

Another case had been filed through District Judge Kevin O'Donnell, but the documents were not immediately available Tuesday.

In that case, Goettler is charged with four misdemeanors, including three counts of indecent assault and one count of corruption of minors.

State police said Goettler is expected to turn himself in by the end of the week.

According to charging documents in the felony case, police spoke with a woman in December 2020. She is listed as being about four years younger than Goettler, which falls under the exemption to the statute of limitations.

The woman told police Goettler had assaulted her numerous times between 1978 and 1988.

“These incidents began when (she) was approximately 8 to 10 years of age and continued throughout her childhood,” said the investigating officer.

Police said the woman claimed earlier incidents, many of which took place at her childhood home in Penn Township, involved inappropriate touching, but with each occasion the acts became more sexual.

“These incidents occurred monthly, and within a year or two from the first incident, Jay began forcing (her) to perform oral sex on him,” police said.

Police said the woman told officers in the spring of 1986, Goettler raped her.

“(She) repeatedly told Jay that it hurt and told him to stop,” police said.

The woman told police she had confronted Goettler in the past about his actions against her. She told police he apologized to her.

Upon his arrest, Goettler will be arraigned by both district judges, and preliminary hearings will be scheduled.