One-half of the infamous gay porn twins who were arrested in Philadelphia last year on burglary charges will spend the next three to eight years in prison.
A judge accepted a plea deal July 15 from Taleon Goffney, 27, who pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary and criminal conspiracy in connection to the rooftop break-in of a South Philadelphia store and another business in the area. Taleon’s twin brother, Keyontyli, was also arrested for his role in the crimes and will begin trial Aug. 6.
The pair made national headlines after their February 2008 arrests when numerous Internet postings identified them as having performed in online gay porn.
As part of Taleon’s plea deal, the judge dropped other charges he faced, including possession of an instrument of crime, criminal trespass and receiving stolen property.
Taleon’s attorney, Michael F. Gushue, said his client was “content” with the terms of the plea agreement.
“It gives closure to the situation and avoids the uncertainty of a trial, which is always prone to creating anxiety,” Gushue said.
If Taleon had not taken the deal, he could have faced up to 40 years in prison.
Gushue said Taleon has pledged to turn his life around.
“He hopes to be able to finish college while he’s incarcerated, so that way he can use his time constructively,” he said. “And he indicated to the judge that he’s a changed man and that she’s not going to be seeing him in the courtroom or in that entire building ever again.”
A judge revoked Taleon’s bail shortly after the arrests and he has been in prison since that time, while Keyontyli was released on bail.
Police suspected the brothers of several area break-ins and were tailing them Feb. 19 when they witnessed Taleon using an ax and handsaw to gain access to the roof of Moon’s Beauty Shop at Ninth Street and Washington Avenue. Police pursued Taleon, who took more than $2,000 from the store’s ATM, to Juniper and Wharton streets and arrested Keyontyli at the scene.
Taleon said during last week’s preceding that his brother, who was present in the courtroom, served as the driver and lookout for the crime.
The brothers were also charged in connection with the burglary of a convenience store in the Northeast in December 2007.
Prior to his arrest, Keyontyli had a fledgling modeling career. A graduate of Barbizon Modeling School, he performed in numerous television commercials, modeled for Nike and Ralph Lauren and participated in several DKNY fashion shows.
Taleon had built up his own reputation in New Jersey.
Camden County police arrested him on drug charges in May 2006, but Taleon smashed a window of the police car with his head and jumped out of the moving vehicle. He dove into a nearby pond and, still handcuffed, swam away from the pursuing officers, eluding them for more than a week until he turned himself in.
His gymnastic talents also surfaced when police attempted to arrest him in January 2007 for breaking into a liquor store. Taleon jumped 30 feet from the roof of the store and swam across the Cooper River, but police eventually apprehended him.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].