A former Utah Boy Scout leader is facing a string of child sex abuse charges over alleged incidents that spanned two decades.
Charles Sheldon Bates, 61, from Kearns – just outside of Salt Lake City – was arrested and booked late Thursday night for an investigation relating to 42 sex-abuse charges.
The charges include 20 counts of of sodomy on a child, 10 counts of aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, seven counts of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, four counts of sodomy/forcible sodomys, and one count of forcible sexual abuse – the only second-degree felony, according to Salt Lake County Jail records and a police booking affidavit seen by KSL.
The Unified Police Department, which arrested Bates, confirmed that the suspect "was a Boy Scouts leader and the abuse began when (the boy) was in Boy Scouts," according to the affidavit.
Authorities are urging any more possible victims of Bates to come forward.
"There are numerous victims who have reported abuse from the defendant," the affidavit stated.
Investigators seized multiple CDs belonging to Bates, which contained child sex abuse material, said the affidavit.
In total, they recovered 134 child sex abuse images, including photos of at least two boys who police were able to identify as victims, authorities said.
Police allege the abuse spanned over 20 years and took place at two locations: Bates’ residence in Kearns and in a bathroom at the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Centre swimming pool.
At least one of the pictures was of an 11-year-old boy, taken in 2006, according to the affidavit.
A second boy alleges he was abused while he participated in Boy Scouts of America, now Scouting America, between 2007 and 2013. He is said to have identified himself in photos on Bates’ CDs, reports ABC Salt Lake City.
The Boy Scouts of America was renamed after the traditionally male program was opened up to girls.
A third boy has also claimed to have met Bates when he was 13 years old and a member of the Scouts, as KSL reported.
"(He) would go to Charles' house under the guise of working on and earning merit badges for the Boy Scouts,” the affidavit read. "These incidents (of abuse) occurred in Charles' bedroom and the community pool family bathroom."
A fourth boy also said in the affidavit that he was abused roughly five or six years ago, when he was aged between 13 and 14.
"These are extremely serious crimes that have persisted over decades," police said, while requesting that he be held in the Salt Lake County Jail without the possibility of posting bail.
Jail records Monday showed that Bates had not been allocated a bond.
Unified police said that anyone who believes Bates has victimized them should contact them at 801-840-4000.
The Independent contacted the Unified police department, Scouting America, and the Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Centre for comment.
