T.J. Maxx worker Jimmy Harry Velasquez Gomez pleads guilty to sexually abusing children inside Medford store

A Honduran man faces six years in prison after pleading guilty this week to three counts of first-degree sexual abuse — after being arrested last year and charged with inappropriately touching three children in separate incidents at the T.J. Maxx store where he worked in Medford.

The Suffolk County District Attorney's Office said Friday that Jimmy Harry Velasquez Gomez, 44, a Honduran national living in Mastic, entered the plea before Acting Supreme Court Justice Karen M. Wilutis and faces sentencing on Oct. 9.

Authorities said Velasquez Gomez is expected to get three 6-year terms, to run concurrently, followed by 10 years of post-release supervision. Certified as a sexual offender, authorities said an order of protection was issued involving all three victims.

According to police and the district attorney's office, on April 19, 2025, Velasquez Gomez approached a 7-year-old girl in the toy aisle at the T.J. Maxx store — and "squeezed her buttocks with his hand." Authorities said the girl immediately notified her mother, who was shopping in another aisle at the store, and said the mother searched for Velasquez Gomez, but was unable to locate him. She then contacted police, who opened an investigation.

The next incident took place on Sept. 20, and involved an 11-year-old who'd gone to the store with her parents.

Authorities said the girl "observed" Velasquez Gomez "holding his genitals through his clothes" and said in a statement issued Friday that "a short time later, the defendant walked toward her and grabbed her buttocks with his hand as he passed."

The victim then told her parents what had happened, but the district attorney's office said it turned out Velasquez Gomez had left the store.

The family then reported the incident to police.

The third incident took place a month later, on Oct. 29, when a 9-year-old shopping with her mother asked permission to go to another aisle to look at toys, the district attorney's office said. Authorities said Velasquez Gomez approached the girl, lifted her sweatshirt and "squeezed her buttocks."

The girl ran, her mother contacted police and Velasquez Gomez was arrested on Nov. 1.

He has been remanded since his arrest.

Authorities are asking anyone who believes they or their child has been a victim of Velasquez Gomez to call the police Special Victims Section at 631-852-6184. All calls will remain confidential.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a Newsday reporter since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press, Society of the Silurians and National Headliner Awards for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing. He is the author of “Swee'pea,” about New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. His debut crime novel, “For Nothing Is Hidden,” rooted in 1950s Long Island, was released in October 2025.