By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – The head of the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal said the organization has taken itself off the list of agencies in which people convicted of crimes can perform community service work.
The Boys and Girls Club took the action as a McLean County Grand Jury found prosecutors have enough evidence to try Julius Scott, 23, on charges he sexually assaulted a club member in November of last year. The grand jury handed up the indictments Wednesday on four counts of criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Scott was a Boys and Girls Club volunteer at the time performing 50 hours of community service as part of his sentence for a domestic battery conviction.
“It’s a terrible situation, but we want to remain supportive, not only for our families, but for our kids as well,” said Boys and Girls Club Chief Executive Officer Tony Morstatter.
He said safety is the group’s top priority for club members and their families.
The rape allegations come as the organization begins a fundraising campaign to build a new clubhouse in Sunnyside Park that could cost as much as 12 million dollars, but Morstatter said the community is still backing the local group.
“We’ve had many supporters come to us and just reassure us that they continue to support us,” he said.
Morstatter said the Boys and Girls Club is fully cooperating with law enforcement in the rape investigation.
Scott, meantime, has to post a $50,000 cash bond to be released from jail before his trial.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
