How Could You? Hall of Shame-Leroy Mitchell 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 West Bradford Township, Pennsylvania, foster father and prison guard, Leroy Mitchell, 60, was arrested on May 31, 2013 on charges of molesting his 9-yearold foster daughter. Additional charges were filed on June 4, 2013 for the molestation of another foster daughter between age 7 and 9.

“Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan says Leroy Mitchell and his family hosted more than 50 foster children over several decades.”

“An affidavit of probable cause filed in the second case says Mitchell confessed to molesting the second girl in the summer of 2012 while she was in his care.

Neighbors in Disbelief

“I’m kind of confused because they’ve always been so family oriented, you know, it’s kind of where the kids congregate,” neighbor Robert Mendenhall told CBS3/Eyewitness News Report Elizabeth Hur.

“I couldn’t, you know, from my heart see that–him doing that or what he’s accused of, you know, we’ll have to–I’d have to make my judgments later on to see how this plays out,” Mendenhall told CBS3.

The District Attorney Vows Tough Prosecution

A copy of the charging documents filed in the case includes graphic details of the alleged crime. The documents are attached to this article as a pdf file.

Hogan pulled no punches in his press release announcing the second round of charges filed against Mitchell. “We are going to land on this defendant like a ton of bricks,” Hogan said. “Anybody who sexually molests a child in Chester County will be arrested, prosecuted and punished as severely as the law permits.”

Prior to his arrest last week, Mitchell worked at Chester County Prison as an administrator. Hogan says he was fired immediately after his arrest. Mitchell is charged in Chester County but he is being held in Montgomery County Prison for his own safety on $500,00[0] bail.

More Charges Expected

Hogan says he expects that “with dozens of foster children there are multiple potential other victims out there.” Hogan says anyone with information about information related to these or other victims should contact Pennsylvania State Trooper David Brodeur (610) 486-6280 or Chester County Detective James Ciliberto at (610)344-6866.”

Former Foster Dad Charged with Molesting Kids

[Westchester Patch 6/4/13 by Bob Byrne]

“The first victim is a 9-year-old girl. According to police reports, Mitchell attempted to get into bed with her and engage in other unlawful sexual conduct. He also allegedly took a picture of her private parts while they were swimming in Brandywine Creek.

The second victim is another girl between the ages of 7 and 9. According to the police, Mitchell would make sure she was alone and would proceed to take off her clothes and touch her inappropriately.”

“Mitchell was employed as a Chester County Prison guard, but his employment has been terminated.

He faces counts of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors and related offenses.”

Prison Guard, Foster Father Accused Of 2 Child Sex Assaults

[My Fox Philly 6/4/13]

“Following the defendant’s initial arrest, Magisterial District Judge John Bailey set the defendant’s bail at $500,000 cash, and he was remanded to the Montgomery County Prison as a precautionary measure, not because any suspected illegal activities took place there, Hogan said.

Hogan said the case was investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and Chester County Detectives.  Assistant District Attorney Deborah Ryan of the District Attorney’s Child Abuse Unit has been assigned as prosecutor.”

Longtime foster parent accused of molesting 2 girls

[The Unionville Times 6/4/13 by Kathleen Brady Shea ]

See the Chester County District Attorney’s Press Release here.

REFORM Puzzle Piece

Update: “A former Chester County foster parent and corrections officer waived his preliminary hearings Monday morning in two, separate cases in which he is accused of molesting a young girl in his care.

Following the bail agency’s recommendation, Magisterial District Judge Susann E. Welsh set bail at $150,000 cash in the second case against Leroy K. Mitchell, 60, of West Bradford Township, which was filed on Tuesday. After Mitchell’s first arrest on May 31, Magisterial District Judge John Bailey set bail at $500,000 cash.

Assistant District Attorney Deborah Ryan said her office considers Mitchell, who is facing two mandatory-minimum 10-year prison terms, a flight risk as well as a danger to society. “We have identified other possible victims,” she said, declining to elaborate after the proceeding.

Ryan urged that if Mitchell makes bail, he should be required to surrender his passport and be subject to electronic home-monitoring, conditions that Welsh imposed.

Assistant Public Defender David Miller, who represents Mitchell, said his client is not in a position to post bail at this time; however, Miller suggested that he might challenge the amount in Chester County Court at a later date. Miller declined comment after the hearing.

Welsh granted a defense request that Mitchell have an opportunity to speak with his wife, who attended the proceeding with three other supporters, before being returned to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. Officials said he is being held there as a precautionary measure.  Mitchell worked at Chester County Prison as a corrections officer for 22 years until the charges surfaced and he was immediately terminated, county officials said.

Mitchell faces multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, corruption of minors, and related offenses in the two cases, according to court records. Investigators said Mitchell was a caregiver for the victims, not their foster parent.

According to the criminal complaints, the assaults against the girls –  one who was 9 at the time and the other who was between the ages of 7 and 9 – occurred during a swimming outing at the Brandywine Creek and at Mitchell’s residence. During interviews with investigators, Mitchell admitted having repeated indecent contact with the girls, the complaints said.

Questions to county officials last week about when Mitchell served as a foster parent in the county and how many children were in his care have not yet been answered.

Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan has said that Mitchell and his family have housed over 50 foster children over the last few decades and that he believes other children may have been victimized. Anyone with information is asked to call Trooper David Brodeur at (610) 486-6280 or Chester County Detective James Ciliberto at (610) 344-6866.

Welsh scheduled a formal arraignment date for Mitchell of June 27.”

Former foster parent waives hearings on sex charges

[The Unionville Times 6/10/13 by Kathleen Brady Shea]

Update 2: Another CPS Fail.

“An attempt to learn more about the foster-parenting history of the former county employee accused of molesting two girls in his care has been thwarted by the fact that the state does not require the retention of such records, county officials said Tuesday.

 

Leroy K. Mitchell, 60, of West Bradford Township, waived his preliminary hearings Monday on multiple counts of aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, and related offenses in two separate cases. Investigators said Mitchell was a caregiver for the two alleged victims, not their foster parent.

 

Assistant District Attorney Deborah Ryan said police have identified additional victims. She declined to elaborate, citing the ongoing investigation. Mitchell, who is represented by Assistant Public Defender David Miller, worked at Chester County Prison as a corrections officer for 22 years until the charges surfaced in late May and he was immediately terminated, county officials said.

 

Mitchell was a foster parent with Chester County from 1989 to 1997, said Rebecca Brain, a county spokeswoman. She said the county’s Department of Children, Youth and Families keeps records of children for five years after they leave the foster-care system, as required by state law.

 

State law does not require retention of foster parent records for any period of time, Brain said. “Therefore, we do not have records to indicate how many children were placed in the Mitchells’ care during the time period they fostered children for the county,” she said.

 

According to the criminal complaints, the assaults against the girls – one who was 9 at the time and the other who was between the ages of 7 and 9 – occurred during a swimming outing at the Brandywine Creek and at Mitchell’s residence. During interviews with investigators, Mitchell admitted having repeated indecent contact with the girls, the complaints said.

 

Mitchell is being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post $650,000 cash bail.”

County: No records on children fostered by defendant

[The Unionville Times 6/12/13 by Kathleen Brady Shea]

Update 3: A search of public Pennsylvania court records shows that Leroy has 19 charges pending:

2 Felony 1 counts of Agg. Ind. Assault W/O Consent

2 Felony 1 counts of Agg. Ind. Assault of Child

2 Felony 2 counts of Agg. Ind. Assault – Comp.Less Than 13 Years Old

5 Felony 3 counts of  Indecent Assault Person Less than 13 Years of Age

1 Felony 3 count of Endangering Welfare of Children-Parent/Guardian/Other Commits Offense

1 Felony 3 count of Corruption Of Minors -Defendant Age 18 or Above

1 Misdemeanor count of Indecent Exposure

5 counts of Indec Asslt-W/O Cons Of Other

Update 4/August 1, 2013

“The District Attorney’s Office Wednesday announced new charges against a former Chester County Prison lieutenant accused of sexually abusing children under his care for more than 40 years.

Leroy Mitchell, 60, was arrested in early June amid allegations that he sexually abused two girls in West Bradford while he and his wife acted as their foster parents. Prosecutors filed new charges Tuesday after five new victims came forward. The alleged crimes date back to 1966, officials said.

Mitchell and his wife fostered over 50 children at their home in the 1800 block of West Strasburg Road, and the former prison administrator also volunteered as a girls’ softball coach in the Unionville Recreation Association. According to the district attorney’s office, the alleged victims included Mitchell’s foster children.

“For the last 40 years, the defendant built his life around getting access to children in order to sexually abuse them,” said District Attorney Tom Hogan. “His job, his family life, and his coaching activities were part of an act to lure children to him. The defendant was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

The original charges were filed in response to accusations that Mitchell sexually abused two young girls, ages 7 and 9, as recently as 2012. The most recent accusations come from both boy and girl victims, prosecutors said. The first victim told investigators that they were 5 years old when the abuse occurred in 1966.

Mitchell is charged with multiple counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, and related offenses. He has remained in Montgomery County Prison since his arrest in June.

Investigators said the new charges may encourage additional potential victims to come forward. Due to the long time span of the alleged crimes, officials released a photograph of Mitchell taken when he was about 42 years old.

“This is a rapidly expanding investigation. After the media reported the initial abuse charges, multiple other victims have come forward. With abuse occurring over decades and with the defendant’s role as both a foster parent and coach, we are concerned that there are even more victims,” Hogan said. “We will not stop investigating until every victim has a chance to be heard and seek justice.””

New child sex abuse charges filed against former Chesco prison employee

[Delco Times 7/31/13 by Michael N. Price]

“On June 5 detectives interviewed a 23-year-old woman who lived with the Mitchells at their Newlin Township home from June 1992 until December of 1993, according to a criminal complaint filed by investigators. During the interview, the complaint said, the alleged victim told detectives that Mitchell forced her to perform oral sex on him between 10 and 15 times, starting when she was 3 years old. ”

Complaint: Child sex abuse lasted 40 years (Update)

[Daily Local s 7/31/13 by Michael N. Price]

“Mitchell also served as a girls’ softball coach for the Unionville Recreation Association (URA).”

“For the last 40 years, the defendant built his life around getting access to children in order to sexually abuse them,” [District Attorney] Hogan said.  “His job, his family life, and his coaching activities were part of an act to lure children to him.  The defendant was a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

“After the abuse occurred, Mitchell bestowed “rewards” on the victims, ranging from lollipops and milkshakes to trips to McDonald’s and Chuck E. Cheese’s, the complaint said.

Hogan said he released a photograph of Mitchell when he was 42 to aid other potential past victims in identifying him. “This is a rapidly expanding investigation.  After the media reported the initial abuse charges, multiple other victims have come forward,” Hogan said.  “With abuse occurring over decades and with the defendant’s role as both a foster parent and coach, we are concerned that there are even more victims.  We will not stop investigating until every victim has a chance to be heard and seek justice.”

Hogan said the case is being investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and  Chester County Detectives; Assistant District Attorney Deb Ryan from the District Attorney’s Child Abuse Unit has been assigned as prosecutor. Anyone with information should call Trooper David Brodeur at (610) 486-6280 or Chester County Detective James Ciliberto at (610) 344-6866.

Mitchell, who is represented by Assistant Public Defender David Miller, worked at Chester County Prison as a corrections officer for 22 years until the charges surfaced and he was immediately terminated, county officials said. Miller declined to comment.

According to county records, Mitchell was a foster parent with Chester County from 1989 to 1997.  He is being held at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post $650,000 cash bail on the first complaint. A preliminary hearing on the second complaint has not been scheduled yet, according to court records.”

Charges multiply against former foster parent

[The Unionville Times 7/31/13 by Kathleen Brady Shea]

Update 5: “For the second time in less than three months, a former coach, foster parent, and corrections officer waived his preliminary hearing on child-molestation charges on Monday.

Leroy K. Mitchell, 60, a former lieutenant at the Chester County Prison, is accused of abusing seven young victims. The first set of charges, alleging indecent contact with two girls ages 7 and 9 in his care, was filed in May; a second set, involving five male and female victims aged 3 to 10, was filed last month, court records said.

With five supporters in the courtroom, Mitchell appeared before Magisterial Senior Judge J. Peter Winther, who increased Mitchell’s bail from $150,000 to $500,000, citing the increased number of victims.

Assistant Public Defender David B. Miller, who is representing Mitchell, had no comment after the proceeding. Assistant District Attorney Deb Ryan said the investigation is continuing.

Mitchell and his wife, who have lived in Newlin and West Bradford Townships, were foster parents to over 50 children throughout the years, three of whom have been identified as victims, Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan has said.  Mitchell, whose alleged criminal conduct spans 40 years, also served as a girls’ softball coach for the Unionville Recreation Association (URA), Hogan said.

Hogan has said that the case is being investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police and Chester County Detectives. Anyone with information is asked to call Trooper David Brodeur at 610-486-6280 or Chester County Detective James Ciliberto at 610-344-6866.

Mitchell worked at Chester County Prison as a corrections officer for 22 years until the charges surfaced and he was immediately terminated, county officials said. According to county records, he was a foster parent with Chester County from 1989 to 1997.”

Ex-foster parent waives 2nd preliminary hearing

[The Unionville Times 8/26/13 by Kathleen Brady Shea]

Update 6: “Calling the case against Leroy K. Mitchell, 60, of West Bradford Township, “one of the most horrifying patterns of child abuse” in the county, Deputy District Attorney Deborah S. Ryan told Chester County Court Judge David F. Bortner that earlier victims had made similar allegations to no avail. Mitchell, a longtime foster parent who coached softball and baseball and was active in his church, had solidified his reputation as a selfless volunteer, Ryan said. Mitchell denied the accusations, and the children continued to suffer, she said.

On Tuesday, March 4, Mitchell pleaded guilty to 15 charges in three separate cases involving five victims: three foster children and two relatives. Under the terms of a plea agreement negotiated between Ryan and Assistant Public Defender David B. Miller, Mitchell will spend 20 to 40 years in prison. The charges ranged from involuntary deviate sexual intercourse to endangering the welfare of children.

In a courtroom that contained about a dozen supporters of Mitchell and half a dozen associated with his victims, Mitchell initially declined to make a statement before changing his mind. “The only thing I’d like to say: I just pray for God’s peace and healing for everyone involved,” he said.

Explaining the basis for the plea, Ryan said the 10-year-old girl was first molested during a swimming outing at the Brandywine Creek when she was 9; she reported the abuse months later after a school assembly on inappropriate touching. Other victims included a 23-year-old former foster child who was molested repeatedly starting at age 3 at the Mitchells’ former residence in Newlin Township, Ryan said, adding that Mitchell told the girl to keep quiet “and everything would be OK,” periodically plying her with lollipops. A 30-year-old man said he was forced to perform oral sex on Mitchell, abuse that began in Mitchell’s foster care when he was 6 or 7 and sometimes led to bribes at McDonald’s or Chuck E. Cheese’s, Ryan said.

Two women who lived with the Mitchells in foster care submitted victim-impact statements to the court, describing the lasting effects of the defendant’s molestation. One woman, who is now 24, wrote that she was 6 when Mitchell entered her bedroom and began accosting her. She said he backed off when she started screaming, but the single incident left her with troubling issues of betrayal and distrust. The second victim echoed those sentiments, adding that she experienced nightmares from recurring abuse. “I hated myself because of what happened to me,” she wrote.

Ryan said after the 10-year-old girl came forward and Mitchell was arrested, follow-up investigation led to additional victims. In some instances, though, the statute of limitations had expired, she said. Investigators were also hampered in their ability to identify potential victims because Chester County, where Mitchell worked as a foster parent from 1989 to 1997, was only required to keep records for five years.

Near the end of the proceeding, Miller objected to a summarizing statement that Ryan began, accusing her of trying to make “a closing argument to a negotiated plea agreement, which is inappropriate.” Although Bortner questioned the timing, he said that he “generally afforded wide latitude” in sentencings of this type and that she could continue.

Elaborating on the power that Mitchell had over his victims, Ryan noted that Mitchell rose in the ranks at Chester County Prison, where he worked as a corrections officer for 22 years before his termination after the charges surfaced. He also served with his wife as a foster parent to 50 children over the last few decades, Ryan said, giving him  “unfettered access.”

Because of Mitchell’s prominence in the community, even when allegations surfaced, the children weren’t believed, she said. “They were called liars,” she said, adding that “our system failed” them. But she said the commonwealth and the victims were satisfied that Mitchell would essentially spend his “remaining years locked away.”

Asked by the judge whether he wanted to respond to Ryan’s recitation, Miller declined. “I’ve made my comments, your honor,” he said.

As Bortner listed the additional conditions of the sentence, such as the lifetime registration with authorities and a sex-offender evaluation, the provision that Mitchell have no contact with any of the victims drew a question from the defendant about whether it included his two relatives, who are now 10 and 14.

As some of the victims in the courtroom shook their heads, the judge agreed to amend the wording to specify that the girls could contact Mitchell if they so choose once they turn 18. Mitchell, who has been incarcerated since June 1, will get credit for time served, the judge said.”

Ex-foster parent gets 20 to 40 years in prison [The Unionville Times 3/5/14 by Kathleen Brady Shea]

““The defendant will spend the rest of his life in prison and the rest of eternity in hell,” said Chester County District Attorney Tom Hogan. “No punishment is severe enough for this conduct.”

“It was the courage of one ten-year-old girl who started this investigation,” he added. “This is one of the most disturbing child abuse cases in the history of Chester County.””

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2014/03/05/da-convicted-child-abuser-will-spend-life-in-prison-and-rest-of-eternity-in-hell/[CBS Philly 3/5/14]