Hurley McKenna & Mertz Files Civil Suit Against Bickerstaff and Boy Scouts of America
New suit targets sexual abuse by local Boy Scout executive
The alleged serial sex offender was a paid employee of the Blackhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and worked in Rockford and Whiteside, Lee and Ogle Counties
WHO: The victim's aunt, victim's attorney, and a Chicago woman who is the founder of a nationwide support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
VISUALS: Photo of the predator will be available
WHY: Beginning in July 2006 and continuing for nearly ten months, Charles "Chuck" Bickerstaff, a long-time paid senior district executive with the Rockford-based Blackhawk Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, repeatedly sexually abused a 16 year-old boy, according to the lawsuit.
Bickerstaff, 56, is now in jail in Dixon, Illinois on $4 million bond awaiting trial on multiple counts of child molestation involving at least two victims. One of the victims was known to be younger than 13 years old when the abuse occurred.
Police have recovered six diaries of 120 pages in length from Bickerstaff's home which describe in detail his sexual relationships with underage boys dating back to at least 1989.
The victim was a member of the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for most of his childhood who "looked (to Bickerstaff) as an authority figure," the lawsuit says. Using the power and trust of his position, the suit says, Bickerstaff'
routinely spent time alone with (the boy) outside of Scout events. The BSA staffer "enticed, induced, directed, coerced, and forced" the child "to engage in deviant sexual acts with him." The crimes took place on a Scout trip to Lansing, Michigan, at Bickerstaff's home, and "other locations."
According to the suit, the BSA "knew or should have known" that Bickerstaff was dangerous, failed to adequately investigate allegations of misconduct involving Bickerstaff and failed to adequately supervise Bickerstaff's
activities. The suit also alleges that the BSA knew for decades that
sexual predators "had infiltrated scouting," but its leadership "failed to inform Scouts' parents of that fact."
Defendants in the lawsuit include the BSA, the Blackhawk Council (which covers Winnebago, Ogle, Lee, and Whiteside counties) and Bickerstaff. It seeks damages of more than $50,000.
The victim now lives with his parents south of Rockford.
CONTACT
Attorney Christopher T. Hurley of Chicago 312-209-4900
The alleged serial sex offender was a paid employee of the Blackhawk Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, and worked in Rockford and Whiteside, Lee and Ogle Counties
WHO: The victim's aunt, victim's attorney, and a Chicago woman who is the founder of a nationwide support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests
VISUALS: Photo of the predator will be available
WHY: Beginning in July 2006 and continuing for nearly ten months, Charles "Chuck" Bickerstaff, a long-time paid senior district executive with the Rockford-based Blackhawk Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, repeatedly sexually abused a 16 year-old boy, according to the lawsuit.
Bickerstaff, 56, is now in jail in Dixon, Illinois on $4 million bond awaiting trial on multiple counts of child molestation involving at least two victims. One of the victims was known to be younger than 13 years old when the abuse occurred.
Police have recovered six diaries of 120 pages in length from Bickerstaff's home which describe in detail his sexual relationships with underage boys dating back to at least 1989.
The victim was a member of the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for most of his childhood who "looked (to Bickerstaff) as an authority figure," the lawsuit says. Using the power and trust of his position, the suit says, Bickerstaff'
routinely spent time alone with (the boy) outside of Scout events. The BSA staffer "enticed, induced, directed, coerced, and forced" the child "to engage in deviant sexual acts with him." The crimes took place on a Scout trip to Lansing, Michigan, at Bickerstaff's home, and "other locations."
According to the suit, the BSA "knew or should have known" that Bickerstaff was dangerous, failed to adequately investigate allegations of misconduct involving Bickerstaff and failed to adequately supervise Bickerstaff's
activities. The suit also alleges that the BSA knew for decades that
sexual predators "had infiltrated scouting," but its leadership "failed to inform Scouts' parents of that fact."
Defendants in the lawsuit include the BSA, the Blackhawk Council (which covers Winnebago, Ogle, Lee, and Whiteside counties) and Bickerstaff. It seeks damages of more than $50,000.
The victim now lives with his parents south of Rockford.
CONTACT
Attorney Christopher T. Hurley of Chicago 312-209-4900