How Could You? Hall of Shame-William Fox UPDATED
This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Liberty, Pennsylvania, 65-year old William Fox was arrested on March 21 for allegedly molesting 3 boys. His latest victim was his 16-year-old adopted son. His adult adopted son Shane, who also is a victim, turned him in. William was “charged with 21 counts including charges of rape and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.” Shane has faced “a barrage of insults from his brothers after coming forward.”
Another victim was a boy scout in the 1970s at the time of the abuse.
“According to Shane, Fox adopted 10 children in three states, including some with mental disabilities.
Shane said he lived with five foster families before the hero cop adopted him in Florida in 1994.
He said: ‘Being a retired cop, I never thought he was like this.
‘I found out the first night – that’s when he started touching me.’
In spite of the alleged assaults, Shane told the paper how Fox would shower him with gifts and frequently take him on trips.”
“Bachelor William Fox became a nationwide celebrity in the 1980’s after adopting a 17-year-old runaway he talked down from a suicide bid on a New York rooftop.
The NYPD cop became a national icon after he talked Buchanan down from a sixth floor Bowery Street ledge in 1981 – later adopting the boy.
In May 1982 Fox was named as one of 10 ‘fathers of the year’ by the National Father’s Day Committee.”
‘You’re doing this for attention’: Son of hero cop arrested for ‘molesting’ boys scorned by family for going to police
[The Daily Mail 4/3/11]
Update: Fox lived in Florida with 4 adopted boys. “According to the criminal complaint, the abuse took place from 1996 to 2009.
Pennsylvania prosecutors reached out to the Brevard State Attorney’s office last week because of allegations of possible sexual abuse when Fox lived in Brevard.”
“[I]n 2008, a Manhattan doctor who says he was sexually abused in 1978 by Fox when the officer was a Scoutmaster, did a Google search. Frank Spinelli was outraged when he found out about the adoption.
“At that point, I called Mr. Fox. He told me he had adopted 15 boys,” he said. “Some were mentally challenged, three were living with him.”
The doctor talked to NYPD and two wiretapped conversations followed.”
“In his telling, when Spinelli refused Fox’s sexual advances, he would be punished. He was not allowed to ride in the front seat, Fox made fun of him in front of other boys and denied him ice cream.
Because the alleged sexual assaults on Spinelli happened more than two decades ago, the statute of limitations in the state of New York has expired.
But NYPD contacted police in Pennsylvania, where Fox had lived since the mid-90s, leading to a two-year investigation and his arrest in March.”
“Trooper Todd Wagaman of the Pennsylvania State Police said the three victims who complained about sexual abuse by Fox are young men.
“They were living with him . . . they are foster kids or from troubled homes or were special-need kids,” he said. “I do not know if it gets any worse than that.”
The charging documents allege an array of sex-related charges, from oral intercourse to forced sexual intercourse.”
“Adoption records in Florida are sealed to the public, according to the Department of Children and Families, and it is unclear whether any children were adopted in the state.
At FLORIDA TODAY’S request, the Boy Scouts of America looked at their records and determined that Fox was not registered with them in Central Florida in the 1990s.”
Famed ex-police officer accused of abusing adopted boys
[Florida Today 5/1/11 by Kaustuv Basu]
Update 2 : “A one-time NYPD hero and “Father of the Year” could die behind bars for sexually abusing his two adopted sons and a third boy over 13 horrifying years.
Pervert pop William Fox, 66, cut a plea deal with prosecutors after one of his sons testified in a Pennsylvania courtroom about his twisted behavior.
The former Staten Islander pleaded “no contest” to charges including incest, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and corruption of minors, prosecutors said yesterday.
Fox faces up to 69 years in prison at his sentencing.
“He’ll die in jail, even if the sentence is half that,” said Frank Spinelli, who told authorities that Fox molested him between 1978-80. “This is a sexual predator and a sociopath.”
Fox, the leader of Spinelli’s Boy Scout troop on Staten Island, only pleaded to crimes committed in Pennsylvania.
The convicted sex offender was held on $100,000 bail pending his sentencing, said Senior Deputy Attorney General Anthony Forray.
Defense attorney Stephen Banik said Fox was forced to take the deal because a faulty memory left the ex-cop unable to testify on his own behalf.”
William Fox, ex-NYPD officer once honored as ‘Father of the Year,’ admits sex abuse of three boys
[New York Daily News 8/3/11 by Larry McShane]
Update 3: William Fox was sentenced to 17 1/2 to 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to “sexually abusing his two adopted sons and a third youth.”
“The once-proud NYPD officer exited the courtroom in his wheelchair, an orange prison jump suit and a pair of handcuffs.
NYPD hero sentenced to 35 years for sex abuse of adopted son, two others
[New York Daily News 11/3/11 by Larry McShane]
REFORM Puzzle Pieces
Update 4: William Fox, 68, died July 3, 2013.
“Fox, who once talked a distraught teen out of committing suicide, was serving a sentence of 17 and a half to 35 years in State Correctional Institute Mahanoy, said the spokeswoman.
Fox was sentenced in November 2011, after pleading “no contest” three months earlier to nine charges, including incest, corruption of minors, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and indecent assault. The charges related to three victims who lived with him, according to the Pennsylvania attorney general’s office.
One charge, obstructing the administration of justice, accused him of trying to influence a victim’s grand jury testimony.
A “no contest” plea is treated the same as a guilty plea even though the defendant doesn’t admit guilt, prosecutors said.”
[Staten Island Live 7/8/13 by Frank Donnelly]
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