TSM, CYS, and DPW Failed to Stop Sandusky in 1998

by Barry Bozeman and Ray Blehar
Part of the SMSSS series exposing who let Sandusky roam Freeh *pun intended for 14 years.
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Three entities CYS, DPW and TSM all staffed with professionals trained for recognizing child sexual abuse were aware of the Jerry Sandusky showers in 1998. None of those three were Penn State University. The public outcry following Attorney General Linda Kelly's Grand Jury Presentment, press release, and press conference focused on Penn State and Joe Paterno. But where is the outrage against these organizations who's reason for existence is based on protecting children?
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Centre County Child and Youth Services - CYS, the PA Department of Public Welfare - DPW and The Second Mile charity - TSM are staffed with professionals who have expertise and responsibility in cases of child abuse. Yet all three of these organizations failed the victims of Jerry Sandusky while the public condemns an elderly football coach and 3 PSU administrators? Where is the logic, reason, or justice in that? And who allowed or made that to happen?
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We know from the Freeh Report that psychologist Dr. Alycia Chambers was contacted by the mother of victim 6 to determine if the she was overreacting to the shower and bear hug experienced by her son in May, 1998 Freeh Report page 42 and 43

May 4-6, Police Report, Initial Investigation and Psychological Evaluation
On May 4, Victim 6's mother called Alycia Chambers, a licensed psychologist who had been working with her son, to see if she was overreacting to Sandusky’s showering with her son. The boy told Schreffler what happened with Sandusky the previous evening, and added that a 10-year-old friend of his had been in a shower with Jerry on another occasion where Sandusky similarly squeezed the friend.
Note that Dr Chambers uncovered a second victim of a Sandusky shower right then as is confirmed by the police report produced by Detective Ronald Schreffler
On May 7, Chambers provided a copy of her written report to Det. Schreffler. Chambers said she was pleased with the response ot the agencies involved, as the gravity of the incidents seems to be well appreciated.
This documentation confirms that the CYS and police knew of at least two bear hug showers with 2 separate boys and Jerry Sandusky. At this point someone made the determination that CYS had conflicts of interest since they did evaluations for The Second Mile (Freeh p 43)
Detective Schreffler contacted John Miller, a caseworker with Centre County Children & Youth Services (CYS) about the allegation. However, there were several conflicts of interest with CYS's involvement in the case. CYS had contracts with the Second Mile - including placement of children in 2M residential program & the Second Mile CEO Raykovitz had a contract with CYS to conduct evaluations. The referral sheet from psychologist Chambers indicated the case might involve a CYS foster child. In light of these conflicts, the Dept of Public Welfare (DPW) took over the case on May 5. DPW officials in Harrisburg, PA took the lead because of Sandusky's high profile and assigned it to caseworker Jerry Lauro replacing John Miller.
So Detective Schreffler, John Miller of CYS and Dr. Chambers all three know of both boys by early May in 1998 when someone has DPW in the person of Jerry Lauro take over the investigation. Lauro interviews victim 6's mother but he claims he was never made aware of Dr. Chambers evaluation? The mother of victim 6 relied on Dr. Chamber's evaluation and her call to CYS but she never mentions this to Lauro? How curious. What else would she have to say to investigator Lauro?
Also on May 7, Lauro interviewed the boy's mother. According to Schreffler's notes, Lauro had received copies of the boy's recorded statement, yet Lauro advised the Special Investigative Counsel that he did not have full access to the facts of the case and was unaware of psychologist Chambers’ evaluation.
Are we to believe that nobody told DPW that two boys were subjected to this behavior or that Dr. Chambers was the person who made the initial report to CYS? At this point District Attorney Karen Arnold becomes involved as the prosecutor handling the case.
Schreffler had a discussion with Karen Arnold, Centre County prosecutor in the District Attorney's office, that day as well. Arnold told Schreffer to postpone a second psychological evaluation of the boy until an additional investigation could be completed. Nonetheless, a second evaluation of the boy occurred on May 8, as part of DPW’s investigation.
So now we have Dr. Chambers, Detective Schreffler, John Miller of CYS, Victim 6's mother, and DA Arnold and Jerry Lauro of DPW who should certainly know that Jerry Sandusky has been bear hugging at least 2 boys in the showers and that Dr. Chambers has determined this behavior to that of a pedophile..
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At this point someone authorizes CYS counselor, John Seasock, who has worked for The Second Mile to interview victim 6. An odd thing since CYS was removed from the case due to a conflict of interest and even more strange is that his evaluation that is completely in error, as we know from the results of the Sandusky trial.
Nonetheless, a second evaluation of the boy occurred on May 8, as part of DPW’s investigation. Counselor John Seasock,opined that "there seems to be no incident which could be termed as sexual abuse, nor did there appear to be any sequential pattern of logic and behavior which is usually consistent with adults who have difficulty with sexual abuse of children." Seasock’s report ruled out that the boy "had been placed in a situation where he was being ‘groomed for future sexual victimization.*
How convenient for TSM - counselor Seasock who worked with TSM and CYS says Sandusky does not exhibit pedophile behavior in direct contradiction of Dr. Chambers and her colleagues.
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Is it not then reasonable to assume that TSM would become aware of the investigation at that point? Two Second Mile children are involved along with a Second Mile mother and the counselor they used for evaluations along with the CYS to whom TSM is closely tied.
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State College is a rather small town and here we have the intimately related CYS and TSM with their evaluator John Seasock, John Miller of CYS, and Jerry Lauro of DPW. It seems highly unlikely that an investigation involving TSM boys and the TSM founder would not reach the ears of TSM CEO and Child Psychologist Dr. Jack Raykovitz.
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People are willing to leap to the conclusion that Joe Paterno and PSU administrators had to know about the 1998 investigation. But those men were not child psychology experts and they did not deal with CYS or DPW. But Dr. Raykovitz and TSM were dependent on Jerry Sandusky and they dealt with CYS on a regular basis while this situation involves two boys enrolled in their program.
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Doctor Chambers and her colleagues determined correctly that the behavior described by victim 6 and his 10 year old friend fit the description of grooming. click and read this.
Chambers made a report to the PA child abuse line and consulted with colleagues. Her colleagues agreed that the incidents meet all of our definitions, based on experience and education, of a likely pedophile’s pattern of building trust and gradual introduction of physical touch, within a context of a loving, special relationship
For certain Detective Schreffler, John Miller of CYS, the mother of Victim 6 and Dr Chambers and her colleagues knew of this report and both victims. But DPW investigator Lauro claims he did not know? Lauro accepts the terribly wrong evaluation of John Seasock and advises DA Ray Gricar who took over from his assistant DA Arnold to close the case allowing Sandusky to remain at large to harm more children. To conclude that this is some kind of colossal mistake seems highly unlikely.
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So why wasn't Lauro informed by the mother of victim 6 about Dr. Chambers evaluation that resulted in the compliant to CYS?
Why did Gricar take over a case that was going to be closed from his Asst DA Arnold who knew of the Chambers evaluation and tried to stop the Seasock evaluation?
and more importantly as we follow the money:
Who would be hurt the worst if Jerry Sandusky was labeled a potential or likely pedophile in 1998? PSU or The Second Mile?
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To answer that last question look at the facts.
1 Sandusky was told in Jan prior to the investigation that he would never be head coach
2) He was already considering taking a retirement package that was being negotiated prior, during and after the investigation.
3) Being labeled a potential pedophile would not be that damaging to Penn State. He was already on his way out.
4) But The Second Mile was founded by Sandusky and he was their major fundraiser and their connection to Penn State.
ANSWER: The Second Mile would be devastated by any indication that the charity was founded by a pedophile as a hunting ground for victims. Penn State might get a minor dose of negative publicity but the charges in 1998 would be the lesser charges of misdemeanor indecent assault, endangering, and corruption of a minor. With these two boys at least it would only be the shower contact.
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It is inconceivable that investigator Lauro never contacted TSM during the 1998 investigation. He knew that 2 children acquired their relationship with Jerry Sandusky at TSM. The first step of any reasonably competent investigator would be to see if TSM could provide a list of other boys who were being similarly treated to favors by the founder. And who better to ask than a Doctor of Psychology who was CEO of TSM?
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Is the reason Lauro or Schreffler would not make inquiries at TSM that they were actually steering the investigation away from that organization?
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Surely the professional community in Central Pennsylvania of persons who are involved with child sexual abuse cannot be that large. Dr. Chambers and her colleagues were in State College along with TSM and CYS with counselor Seasock.
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TSM may be up to their necks in this but we will likely never know everything they knew. The organizations assets and likely all their files and computers have been taken by Arrow Ministries of Houston headed by a Republican who hails from central Pennsylvania and is close personally with the Governor and other prominent PA political figures. Arrow Foundation Ministry and Arrow to take over Second Mile see second item down the list.
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But what we do know about TSM is substantial and it raises very serious questions leading us further down the path in our effort to expose how Penn State University and Joe Paterno were framed by the Grand Jury Presentment and the Freeh Report as responsible for the crimes of Jerry Sandusky while the agencies who were charged with the protection of children have gotten off scott-Freeh.
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Where is the media concern and outrage over abused children pointed at these organizations that had every clue and reason to stop Jerry Sandusky in 1998? It may not be as flashy as blaming an old football coach but somebody had the power to derail this 1998 investigation. Even if that cannot be proved it would be of far more benefit to the victims of child abuse to get to the root of the failure of the agencies tasked with their protection.
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The following news articles in a TSM Appendix offer evidence of TSM's involvement with Jerry Sandusky and possible reasons TSM was not mentioned in the Presentment and prosecution. This article continues at the Appendix Link with great detail about TSM and Dr. Raykovitz.