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Ex-Palmyra Boy Scout leader molested children in Virginia for years: police

A 47-year-old former Pennsylvania Boy Scout leader has been arrested for sexually assaulting two young relatives in Virginia for several years – which ended nearly 20 years ago, authorities say.

Shawn Cory Gooden was arrested Sept. 5 after an extensive investigation revealed that he sexually assaulted a relative, between the ages of nine and 13, on multiple occasions between January 1997 and December 2000, according to the Prince William County Police Station.

During the investigation, police also learned that Gooden had sexually assaulted another young relative, who was between the ages of eight and 12 at the time of her attack – which authorities say happened around the same time period.

Officers from the North Londonderry Township Police Department located Gooden in Palmyra and have been charged with two counts of indecent liberty, two counts of forcible sodomy and five counts of aggravated sexual assault, authorities say and court documents confirm.

Gooden spent some time as a Boy Scout volunteer in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, but was not a registered volunteer at the time of the alleged assaults. ABC27 Reports citing Ronald Gardner, Scout Executive and CEO of Boy Scouts New Birth of Freedom Council.

“The allegations against Shawn Gooden are disturbing and go against everything the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) stand for. He is a former board member of the Volunteer Council and has been inactive since 2019. His term of office officially ended in May of this year. We have no record of him being registered at the time of the allegations. He has been placed on our volunteer screening database and may no longer register as a volunteer with Boy Scouts of America or participate in any capacity,” Gardner said fox43.

Also read: Eagle Scout builds possum enclosures for Southwest Virginia

According to his court filing, Gooden was being held at Lebanon County Prison with $500,000.

He has an upcoming court date and is awaiting extradition to Virginia, authorities say.

Anyone with information regarding the incidents detailed in this report is asked to contact the Prince William County Police Department Hotline at 703-792-7000.

The BSA also provides a 24/7 Scouts First Helpline 1-844-SCOUTS1 and an email contact address scouts1st@scouting.org for assistance in reporting suspected abuse or improper conduct.

Doctor CamNC4Me wrote: ↑

Wed Sep 14, 2022 11:19 pm

This really puts the Mormon church withdrawing from the BSA in perspective. I wonder if there’s a way to resign one’s affiliation with the BSA? I want to mail my badge back.

- Doc