Boy Scout Molestation: Officials Failed To Stop Sex Offender

By Associated Press

LOS ANGELES -- Boy Scout officials in the U.S. and Canada not only failed to stop an admitted child molester in their ranks, but sometimes helped cover his tracks, according to confidential records, court files and interviews with victims and their families.

A Los Angeles Times and Canadian Broadcasting Corp. investigation ( http://lat.ms/tYtWBX ) published Saturday finds scout leader Rick Turley molested at least 15 children over nearly two decades, most of whom he met through American and Canadian Scouting beginning in the 1970s.

Boy Scouts of America officials didn't call police in 1979 after Turley acknowledged molesting three Orange County boys, records show.

"You do not want to broadcast to the entire population that these things happen," A. Buford Hill Jr., a former Orange County Scouting executive, said of officials' decision not to contact authorities. "You take care of it quietly and make sure it never happens again."

It happened again. Turley returned to his native Canada, where he signed on with Scouts Canada, and continued his abuses for at least a decade.

Now 58 and working at an Alberta truck-stop motel, Turley says he is surprised by how often he got away with it.

"It was easy," he said in an interview with the CBC, adding that he has learned to control his impulses.

Turley was sentenced to five years in prison after being convicted in 1996 of five counts of molesting children. Paroled in 2000, he was later caught trying to draw two pre-teen boys into a relationship and sent back to prison. He was released two years later.

Turley is one of more than 5,000 suspected child molesters named in confidential documents kept by the Boy Scouts of America. The records – called the "perversion files" by the Scouts – include admissions of guilt as well as unproven allegations.

Those files have come to light in recent years in lawsuits by former Scouts, accusing the group of failing to detect abuses, exclude known pedophiles, or turn in offenders to authorities.

The Oregon Supreme Court is now weighing a request by newspapers, a wire service and broadcasters to open about 1,200 more files in the wake of a nearly $20-million judgment in a Portland sex abuse case last year.

The Scouts' handling of sex-abuse allegations is similar to that of the Catholic Church in the face of accusations against its priests, some attorneys told the Times and the CBC.

"It's the same institutional reaction: scandal prevention," said Seattle attorney Timothy Kosnoff, who has filed seven suits in the last year by former Scouts.

Current Boy Scouts of America officials declined to be interviewed and would not say how many files exist or what is in them. Their lawyers have said the records are confidential, to protect victims and because some of the files are based on unsubstantiated tips.

"The BSA has continued to enhance its youth protection efforts as society has increased its understanding of the dangers children face," the Scouts said in a statement.

___

Comments

[James M Cool]

04:46 PM on 12/22/2011

I know first hand what it feels like to be molested by a BSA Troop Leader, it happened to me around 1972. I have blocked it out for so long, I have tried not to remember any of it, and when it happened I felt that I could not tell anyone about it, because of who this guy was. He was not only the Troop Leader for the Boy Scouts, but he was also my Science and P.E. Teacher and the Bus Driver at the Catholic School I was attending in Corona. He was one of my older brothers, best friends Father, and he lived on the next street over, just around the block from my parents house, and he later attended the same church that my parents did, that was at the local elementary school at the time, before the new church was built. What could I possibly do, I was only about 12 or 13 years old, when this happened to me, and I felt that because of who this guy was - I could not say anything to anyone. And just recently I told my oldest brother about what happened to me when I was in Boy Scouts, it was a painful thing for me to share and I'm sure it was a painful thing for him to listen to, one of his youngest brothers painful life stories. My parents both went to their graves without knowing about any of this, I am thankful for that.

[aliosh]

12:05 AM on 11/08/2011

Good Scouting depends more on the behavior of those in your region and less about BSA policy as a whole. The organization sounds so good in theory, but unfortunately lives out it's reality according to the adults involved. I worked in troops, Venture Crews and for our district years ago and witnessed enough hypocrisy, greed, cover ups and selective blindness to make me wanna puke. I quit instead...

[dbrett480]

05:54 PM on 11/02/2011

But heaven forbid there is a gay scout master. Those that help this animal cover up his tracks should be charged with obstruction of justice.

[Charles W Noble]

04:19 PM on 11/02/2011

I would love to see recent statistics - past 10 years from the Boy Scouts of America. Furthermore, just so that they are not unfairly targeted, lets see the statistics for public schools, private schools, religious schools, and any other type of clubs. The problem with this article is that it lacks context. It does not clearly state that this happened 25 years ago. It was certainly horrific and I hope the people who preyed on these innocent children are persecuted to the fullest extend of the law. I also hope that the individuals who created the atmosphere that allowed this come forward and face proper punishment. But to isolate the boy scouts because of something that happened 25 years ago today while neglecting to put a context on it is really inexcusable.

[drebiz]

12:22 PM on 11/02/2011

Current BSA Youth Protection Guidlines and Leader Selection. The organization is very active in ensuring these sort of things don't happen:
http://scouting.org/Training/YouthProtection.aspx

[drebiz]

12:04 PM on 11/02/2011

Please, to all of you who want to post negative comments about the Boy Scouts, I submit to you as a profession­al Scouter, the BSA conducts extensive background checks in order for an adult to become a leader within the BSA. They DO NOT ALLOW anybody who has a background as a sex offender to be part of the organizati­on. ALSO, the BSA employs youth protection laws that DO NOT ALLOW ONE ON ONE CONTACT BETWEEN LEADERS AND SCOUTS. Two adult leaders must be present at every scout function and are not allowed to stay in the same habitation as the youth.

Personally­, I am a product of the Scouting movement. I grew up in the Scouts and I can tell you I never once felt uncomforta­ble around my leaders and they never once abused me or anybody I know. The Scouting movement is responsibl­e for producing some of the most viable leaders in our country today. Sam Walton, Bill Gates, Hank Aaron, Neil Armstrong, Michael Bloomberg, Steven Spielberg, John F. Kennedy and the list goes on and on and on. Some of the best men AND women I know are Scout leaders.

So take your cheap shots...we will continue to turn young men into your bosses, your husbands, your leaders. I cannot change what happened back in the seventies, I can only make sure it doesn't happen again and continue to train Boy Scouts to stand out in a society full of cynical and increasing­ly paranoid people.

[msminnie]

01:12 AM on 11/02/2011

"You do not want to broadcast to the entire population that these things happen," A. Buford Hill Jr., a former Orange County Scouting executive, said of officials' decision not to contact authorities.

THAT attitude has no place in organizations that take responsibility for children and/or vulnerable people. It's shocking that anyone would admit to that belief or policy. Companies should make a practice of educating their employee about 2 organizations that are known for how they handle bad decisions and bad P.R.- The Catholic Church for it's handling of sexual abuse over the years and Johnson and Johnson for their handling of the Tylenol scare.

[KomnSense]

01:44 AM on 11/02/2011

Thankfully Hill no longer works for the Scouts, and its unfortunate he lasted so long there. The vast majority of people in Scouting are wonderful people, but this is a sad sad case.

[screwitall]

08:15 PM on 11/01/2011

Molestations in the scouts and church have gone for years,and always covered up

[KomnSense]

01:49 AM on 11/02/2011

"Always covered up"? Except in the cases in which they're not covered up. Basic debate skills...do not use the word never or always, because there is usually a case in which something does or didn't happen. Yes, this is a prime example of an employee trying to sweep something under a rug instead of handing that monster over to the police but to say the BSA always covers up abuses is just not true. Hill should be held accountable for his lack of following the law and not doing the right thing. Scouting has taken a very tough stance on child abuse, along with most youth organizations today.

[Brian Workman]

06:57 PM on 11/01/2011

I guess I'll have to enroll my son, in the Gay Scouts of America, because such conduct is ignored by adults!?!?!?!?

[ttigerlilyx2]

05:56 PM on 11/01/2011

Why why why are people so surprised to find predators close to their prey???

[medicallibrarian]

05:48 PM on 11/01/2011

"You do not want to broadcast to the entire population that these things happen," A. Buford Hill Jr., a former Orange County Scouting executive, said of officials' decision not to contact authorities. "You take care of it quietly and make sure it never happens again." The audacity of this man. What gave him the right to decide to "take care of it quietly"? Since when is he above the law? "The BSA has continued to enhance its youth protection efforts as society has increased its understanding of the dangers children face," the Scouts said in a statement." Excuse me? Don't use the royal "society" when commenting on sexual molestation which they certainly know is wrong! The dangers children face have names and pedophilia has been around since the beginning of time (historically). So don't couch it in terms that still keep sexual exploitation of minors "secret" or try to make it seem like it is less than a crime! Really? You must think we are all living in the 19th century.

[KomnSense]

01:52 AM on 11/02/2011

Weren't the hollywood elite leftists clamoring for the US to stop chasing Roman Polanski? Do remember though, the California Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act began in only 1972, and has been ammended many, many times since then. Society has not always placed child protection at the forefront, unfortunately, as we can clearly see with so many people wanting to still look the other way for Polanski's rape of a 13 year old girl.

[robodawa]

05:17 PM on 11/01/2011

This could really wreck the scouts. They should spin off their camp assets to an offshore holding company. Once that real estate is sold to pay off a judgement, they will never be camps again.
Being molested by a trusted adult is a misery. Seeing a 1,000 acres of prime forest going under the Cats and the developers for exclusive cottages is another kind of misery. No one wins because some sick fiend needed to feel empowered.

[SGervais]

04:48 PM on 11/01/2011

The BSA was wrong in its attempt to conceal and has taken great strides since that time to not contribute to the problem. However, those who condemn the Boy Scouts or any other similar youth organization who suffer the consequences of such incidents are ignorant to what's happening in our society; no one is immune from being stalked. Additionally, the Scouts, schools, youth sports, and almost every other youth organization with which I'm familiar plead for parental involvement to ensure that the highest level of supervision is achieved. How many parents respond to the calls for help? Shockingly low percentages. Let's hope the Boy Scouts have learned from their mistakes and stay focused on providing one of the best youth programs in our nation.

[exoticdoc2]

04:44 PM on 11/01/2011

Not good. If the scouts keep this up they will wind up like the Catholics. They ignored their own homosexual problem and look where it got them.

[Dirk1]

06:03 PM on 11/01/2011

Wow. Stop right there. Pedophilia has nothing to do with sexual orientation. The FBI (not exactly a hotbed of flaming leftists) established that gay men were enormously less likely to abuse children than straight men back in the 1970s.
Even the Catholic church, not a pro-gay institution by any means has publicly stated that the overwhelming number of pedophile priests were heterosexual, not gay.
Please, this is a problem almost exclusive to heterosexual men. It has nothing to do with homosexuality and trying to blame it on us is not only a violation against your Christian prohibition against bearing false witness, it also lets the true monsters continue to get away with their crimes.

[exoticdoc2]

10:55 PM on 11/01/2011

Wrong. The majority of pedophiles go after males, this is homosexuality. Second, the majority of males molested are twelve, thirteen, and older, so they are young men and not little children as is the case with 5 and 6 year-olds. No one is excusing heterosexual molesters, but these are homosexual predators, plain and simple.

[exoticdoc2]

11:25 PM on 11/01/2011

How about you stop right there? The majority of the priest victims were teenagers, older kids and young adults, not little kids. The majority of pedophiles pursue males, this is homosexuality. While no one is defending heterosexual molesters and predators, these priest and scout incidents are homosexual predators, there is no doubt.

[mldspenser]

04:13 PM on 11/01/2011

I thought there was a huge commotion several years ago because the Boy Scouts said that nobody gay could join. So now we have people on this site calling the molesters in the BSA files "homosexual perverts". Just because a person is gay doesn't mean he is a child molester -- and just because a person molests Boy Scouts doesn't mean he's gay. He may be a bisexual or heterosexual molester who just found it easier to find victims at a Boy Scout camp than at other organizations that he could not find a way to get into. ALL organizations with children in their care need to be aware of the possibility of molestation...and no organization should be allowed to hide criminals to avoid scandal.

All of that being said, how do we make sure that people are not falsely accused? The other side of protecting our children is protecting innocent adults. Even people who are on lists of sexual offenders are not always guilty of real pedophilia. For example, a 19 year old who has sex with the 16 year old he is engaged to marry could possibly end up on a sexual offenders list for the rest of his life.

[KomnSense]

02:01 AM on 11/02/2011

I support the Scouts and do not support labeling child abusers as homosexuals. That is an inaccurate label. Pedophilia is a sick mental disturbance.

Part of the Scouting training for parents and leaders is called Youth Protection Training, in which they are taught not only to look for signs of abuse and take steps to prevent abuse, but it also helps prevent them from being fasley accused.

If adults are never alone with a child, there is always a witness to coorborate that abuse didn't happen. If adults follow the guidelines set forth by the BSA, abuse is very unlikely. Its often when parents fall victim to a predator and are 'won' over by their charm do they let their children wander in one on one situations. Two-deep leadership is always a must.