Former scout camp counselor, Coleman Leonard, was sentenced to 21 months in jail for 4th-degree sexual assault and child enticement. Leonard was found guilty of assaulting 14 and 15-year-old camp workers over two summers at Camp Napowan Boy Scout Camp in Mount Morris, Wisconsin.
Throughout the investigation, police identified three possible victims who each reported unwanted sexual contact with Leonard. Two boys reported that Leonard had groped them, and another alleged victim said the 19-year-old made him perform a sexual act. One staff member told the detective that Leonard kept a list of all the people he had “done things with” at Camp Napowan. During a search of Leonard’s room, the detective found a notebook that contained an entry mentioning a sexual interaction with another staff member of the camp. Leonard acknowledged having sexual contact with two of the boys but denied any sexual interaction with the third.
Camp Napowan is a partner of the Boy Scouts of America through the organization’s Pathway to Adventure Council, which offers many unique opportunities for Scouts through different camping programs. The Council spans two states, serves more than 21,000 youth members, and includes nearly 8,000 adult volunteers and four service centers.
Unfortunately, Boy Scouts of America is facing a pedophilia epidemic. Nearly 800 victims have come forward with reports of abuse and sexual assault. The accused tend to be men of stature in their communities, most of whom volunteered as troop leaders or assistant troop leaders. This includes police officers, members of the military, teachers, doctors, and a child psychologist. Allegedly, these abusers would catch children in tents and homemade shelters in the wilderness, in their cars shuttling young boys back and forth to Scouting activities, and sometimes in the children’s own homes.
If you or a loved one were a victim of sexual abuse while a Boy Scout, contact Forester Haynie here or give us a call at 214-210-2100.
