A former assistant Boy Scout leader was arrested and charged last week with allegedly assaulting two scouts in the 1990’s. The 45-year-old Morris Plains man was arrested and charged with one count of aggravated sexual assault, four counts of sexual assault, and one count of endangering the welfare of a child according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office. He is facing up to sixty (60) years in prison if convicted. He was also charged with possession of child pornagraphy in January. He has also been sued by one of the scouts in a civil lawsuit in Bergen County which also names the Boy Scouts of America which alleges that the boy was abused by the defendant over a five (5) year period. The Defendant was released on $150,000 bail and is ordered to have no contacts with the alleged victims.

In a statement released Friday, the Prosecutor’s Office said, “Two former Scouts came forward and disclosed they were sexually assaulted by the defendant during their time in Troop 173. Both victims specifically referenced an incident that happened in the summer of 1999 in which the defendant and both victims engaged in a ‘threesome.’ During the incident, the defendant allegedly sexually penetrated the two victims. One of the victims also disclosed that he was penetrated on multiple occasions by the defendant while under the age of 16.”

For additional information, please see Bergen Record article entitled, “Scout leader charged with sexual assault”.