How Could You? Hall of Shame-John Gould

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 Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, foster parent and constable John Gould, 54, “has been charged with spying on two teenage girls as they showered at his camper in Point Township, Northumberland County, between June 28 and July 1, according to charges.

Investigators say John Gould of Kingston used an elaborate setup to spy on the girls, using a two-way mirror installed in the camper’s bathroom.

From there, police said, it looked like any other mirror. But, to Gould, it was his window to voyeurism, police said. Arrest papers say Gould hung a picture frame over his side of the window, but moved it to catch a glimpse when the girls, ages 15 and 17, showered.

The girls, foster children temporarily in the care of Gould and his wife, were placed with a different family after reporting the incident to police July 1, arrest papers say.

Gould, 54, an elected state constable from Kingston, has been charged with six counts of invasion of privacy.”

“State constables are independent contractors who mainly perform services for the magisterial district courts, such as serving court papers and arrest warrants. They also can make arrests for felonies and breaches of the peace. Many are “firearm certified,” meaning they are allowed to carry a gun while performing their duties.

Gould is firearm certified through December 2013, according to the a website for the state’s Commission on Crime and Delinquency, which trains and certifies the state’s constables.

Col. Joe Walters, head of the Luzerne County Constables Association, said the association does not supervise the independently elected constables and referred questions to county court officials, who manage the constables. He declined to speak about Gould in case he is called as a witness.

“Not at this time. I don’t want to jeopardize anything,” Walters said. “It kind of disgusts me.”

Several local district judges say they received orders recently from court administration to not give any work to Gould. Court officials confirmed Tuesday that a judge suspended Gould from his duties as constable pending the outcome of the case.

Arrest records indicate the girls alerted Kingston police Officer Tom McTague after becoming suspicious they were being watched while showering during a recent visit to the camper in the Splash Magic Campground.

The girls said they discovered the two-way mirror and took photos that they showed to McTague, police said in arrest papers. Authorities in Northumberland County later served a search warrant on the property and discovered the two-way mirror, which was about 1 square foot in size and gave a “clear view” of the camper’s shower.

Court records indicate the charges were sent to Gould by mail and he accepted them Aug. 2.

No one answered the door at Gould’s Market Street home Tuesday after someone abruptly closed front window curtains as reporters approached. Phone calls to the home went unreturned. Gould’s attorney, Mark Mack, also did not respond to a call for comment.

An arraignment and preliminary hearing for Gould is scheduled for Sept. 12 at 9 a.m. in front of Magisterial District Judge Richard P. Cashman in Milton.”

State constable charged with peeping on teens

[Citizen’s Voice 8/15/12 by Bob Kalinowski]

“Gould viewed the juveniles at Splash Magic Campground between June 28 and July 1, according to court documents that also stated the 15-year-old became suspicious when she heard a noise in the wall while she shaved her legs in the bathroom, and put her pants back on.
She told the older girl about the noise. The girls began to investigate and found the one-way mirror, court documents said.
The girls reported the incident and discovery to Lackawanna County Children and Youth workers.
 Some foster children under the care of Gould in the past had made complaints that were unfounded, according to Kingston police, who also said some foster children are “sharp at working the system.”
However, Point Township police searched the recreational vehicle and found a 10-inch by 12-inch hole containing the one-way mirror that was hidden behind a picture, according to court documents.
The girls showed pictures of the mirror during their interview with Lackawanna County Children and Youth and Kingston police, according to court documents, and said Gould would also “brush up against them” while walking through the recreational vehicle.
The girls told Point Township police officer Nate Fisher they showered once a day during the three-day camping trip, court records said.

Agencies silent

Declining to comment on the case were Lackawanna County Children and Youth, the Lackawanna County district attorney’s office and Kingston police.
Protocol should have been in place, Northumberland County Children and Youth officials said.
“There are two things the police department could do,” said Jennifer Willard, Northumberland County Children and Youth Services administrator. “They can call Child Line or call the local children and youth in the area.”
Child Line is a direct call to state wide officials who will mandate a person investigate the claims immediately.
A Northumberland County foster parent for children ages 15-21 is paid roughly $900 per child per month, Willard said.
Gould denied wrongdoing in an interview with police. The girls have been placed with another foster family. ”

“Each second-degree misdemeanor carries a maximum $5,000 fine and up to two years in jail. ”

Constable charged with watching foster daughters in shower

[The Daily Item 8/15/12 by Francis Scarcella]

REFORM Puzzle Piece