Search Results for: Jerry Sandusky

Yesterday, the El Paso Times reported the harrowing story of the Huertas, two foster parents recently arrested for sexually abusing children under their care. What’s worse, the story also details the numerous complaints regarding the Huertas’ previous history of sexual abuse, and the inexplicable failure of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services’ utter failure to stop them.

Once children are placed under the care of a state, county, or private children and youth services agency, that organization has a duty to ensure the children are well-cared for. In the Huertas’ case, it appears the state of Texas utterly failed in this regard. For this failure, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services can, and should, be held accountable.

Cases like the Huertas’ have resulted in significant verdicts and settlements for victims of childhood sexual abuse in foster care. In one high-profile case, for example, a victim was awarded $30 million in a case against the Giarretto Institute, a private foster family agency. The institute had failed to adequately screen the victim’s foster parents, who then sexually abused him. This scenario is unfortunately all to common.

Andreozzi + Foote has successfully represented several victims of sexual abuse in foster homes. Our firm specializes in representing victims of sexual, violent, and financial crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

As I previously reported, Plum High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has come under fire for allegedly covering up student-teacher sexual relationships. You can read my previous post here, in which I discuss the viable Title IX claim many of these victims may have against the School District.

TribLive is now reporting that a grand jury is investigating the Plum sex scandal, which may involve as many as eight students. The Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office convened the grand jury to investigating whether criminal charges should be filed against school officials for failing to report known sexual abuse.

The District Attorney’s investigation may reveal evidence that is damning for the School District. If officials at the High School and/or School District affirmatively covered up sexual abuse at the High School, there is little doubt they were “deliberately indifferent” to the abuse for purposes of Title IX liability.

Andreozzi + Foote has successfully represented several victims in Title IX lawsuits against public schools. Our firm specializes in representing victims of sexual, violent, and financial crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately atnate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

As TribLive today reported, our firm, Andreozzi + Foote, has filed suit against a Cranberry Twp. Candlewood Suites hotel on behalf of a family whose young boys were repeatedly sexually abused by an older female hotel employee. The suit alleges Nancy Fields, a hotel desk clerk, forced the boys to touch her in a sexual manner and took sexually explicit photos of them. Fields has been arrested and charged in conjunction with the incidents.

The suit further alleges that guests and employees complained to hotel management about Fields’ behavior toward the boys, but that Candlewood management responded to complaints by telling Fields that she needed to be more discrete in her interactions with the boys, and that Fields was “merely taking off their training wheels.”

Andreozzi + Foote represents victims of sexual, violent, and financial crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

Raymond Paul Buhrow, a former pastor at Calvary Temple Holiness Church in Carlisle, Pennsylvania was indicted today for multiple sex crimes related to his sexual abuse of two young girls between 2009 and 2014. According toreports, Buhrow is alleged to have touched both victims while he served as Pastor of Calvary Temple Holiness Church. The sexual assaults reportedly happened several times on church property. Buhrow has been charged with indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, and corruption of minors. For more information, his criminal docket sheet is available here.

Calvary Temple Holiness Church may share responsibility for Buhrow’s crimes. If Buhrow was previously accused of sexual abuse, or Church officials became aware of his inappropriate behavior with the two victims and failed to stop it, the Church could be liable for negligently enabling the sexual abuse. At this point it is unclear, what, if anything, Calvary Temple Holiness Church knew about Buhrow’s dangerous propensities.

Andreozzi + Foote has represented sexual abuse victims in lawsuits against churches for negligently enabling sexual abuse. Our firm is well-known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

Currently, victims of sexual abuse in Pennsylvania may pursue a civil case arising out of their abuse until they turn thirty. Many, many survivors are unable to confront their sexual abuse until many years after that, so potential clients are often left without recourse. That could all change, however, if Pennsylvania victims’ advocates, ourselves included, are able to push through reforms to the current statute of limitations. One bill currently winding its way through the Pennsylvania legislature would extend the statute until a victim turns fifty.

As is now well-known, Bill Cosby has been accused of sexual assault by dozens of women. Most, unfortunately, are barred by civil and criminal statutes of limitations from confronting Cosby in court since the assaults occurred many decades ago. This could change for multiple victims of Pennsylvania enacts statute of limitations reform that extends the time-period for filing a lawsuit.

A civil lawsuit can be a powerful tool for exposing a hidden predator like Cosby is alleged to be. Recently, a judge released documents from a decade old civil lawsuit filed against Cosby by Andrea Constand, in which it was revealed that Cosby seems to admit purchasing drugs to “use” on women. This information was learned during a civil deposition, even though no criminal charges have been filed against Cosby.

If Pennsylvania’s legislature enacts statute of limitations reform, Cosby’s victims may, for the first time, have an opportunity to confront Cosby in court and hold him accountable.

Andreozzi + Foote has represented sexual abuse and assault victims in lawsuits against perpetrators and institutions. Our firm is well-known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

Over the last few days, it has been reported that Matthew Scavitto, a teacher and coach at the Phelps School in Malvern, Pennsylvania was arrested for the sexual abuse of a former student. The abuse occurred from 2013 to 2014 while the student was enrolled as a full time boarding student at the school. Police are concerned there may be other victims, and are asking anyone with information regarding Scavitto to come forward.

If anyone at the Phelps School was aware of what was going on, or that Scavitto was a danger to students in any way, the school could be liable to the victim for damages arising from the abuse by Scavitto. At this point, it is unclear, what, if anything, the Phelps School may have known.

Andreozzi + Foote has successfully represented several victims in lawsuits against private schools. Our firm represents victims of sexual, violent, and financial crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

Pennlive reported today that Fernando Zagaceta, a houseparent at Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pennsylvania, was arrested for felony sex offenses involving a child. Zagaceta has been charged with indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age, unlawful contact with a minor – sexual offenses, corruption of minors, and endangering the welfare of children.

This is not the first time an adult affiliated with the Milton Hershey School has been accused of sexual abuse. In 2010, Pennlive reported that Charles Koons, the son of a former house parent, was prosecuted for molesting several Milton Hershey students and dozens of other children.

Students’ abused by a Milton Hershey house parent or other employee should consider speaking with a lawyer as soon as possible. If the School failed to properly screen an abusive teacher or house parent, or did not supervise or otherwise protect a student from sexual abuse while in the School’s care, the School may liable. The Milton Hershey School is one of the wealthiest schools in the country, so the institution has considerable resources available to compensate abuse victims.

Andreozzi + Foote has represented sexual abuse victims in lawsuits against schools for negligently enabling sexual abuse. Our firm is well-known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

It has been well-reported that two teachers at Plum High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania were carrying on sexual relationship with their students. What’s worse, Plum School District officials are accused of covering up the sexual relationships. A Plum board member recently resigned over the District’s response to the allegations, claiming he reported high-school English teacher Joseph Ruggieri for inappropriate behavior with students years ago. Ruggieri has since been charged with multiple crimes for having sex with a Plum student.

The Plum teachers accused of having sex with their students have not denied the allegations. Their defense: the girls were 18, so the relationships were not illegal. Under Pennsylvania law, however, it is illegal for a teacher to engage in a sexual relationship with a student, regardless of the student’s age. In addition, the Allegheny County District Attorney’s office has filed papers outlining how one teacher, Jason Cooper, allegedly “groomed” his victim for sex well before she turned 18.

Cooper’s alleged grooming is significant for another reason. Under Pennsylvania law, a victim of “childhood” sexual abuse has until their thirtieth birthday to file a civil claim arising from that abuse. If the Plum victims were 18 when their abuse began, their claims will expire two years from the initial abuse. If, however, the girls were subject to inappropriate behavior before their 18th birthdays, they may have until they turn thirty to sue their abusers, and the District. As I’ve previously written, Cooper and Ruggieri’s victims may have strong Title IX claims against the School District for “deliberate indifference” to a sexually hostile educational environment. With each new allegation of indifference on the part of the District, their cases get stronger.

Andreozzi + Foote has successfully represented several victims in Title IX lawsuits against public schools. Our firm represents victims of sexual, violent, and financial crimes in civil lawsuits. Our firm is best known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.

As has been reported over the last several days, my law firm represents a young woman who was repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted by Joshua Markelwitz, a youth pastor at the Charlton Methodist Church in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Ben recently appeared on the local news to discuss the case; you can see his interview here.

Last year, Markelwitz was convicted of a host of sex crimes related to his abuse, and was sentenced to 12-24 years in prison. There is no question, then, that the abuse happened, and that it was truly terrible. As our lawsuit alleges, on one occasion Markelwitz pulled out a gun and threatened to kill the victim’s mother if she ever told anyone about the rapes. Unsurprisingly, Markelwitz’s victim is still struggling with a host of psychological problems.

The case against the church is based on details that are alleged in our lawsuit. First, Church members allegedly complained to Church leadership about Markelwitz’s relationship with the victim only to be frustrated by the church’s lack of response. Second, Markelwitz supposedly flouted the Church’s “safe sanctuary” policies, which are intended to protect kids from abuse, and church leadership knew it. Third, while serving in the military, Markelwitz was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a crime for he served time in a military prison. If these facts are true, the Church may face liability for Markelwitz abuse of the victim, and the considerable harm she has suffered as a result.

Andreozzi + Foote represents sexual abuse victims in lawsuits against churches for negligently enabling abuse. Our firm is well-known for its work on behalf of sexual abuse victims, including representing 11 of Jerry Sandusky’s victims. We are also representing the families of murdered love ones in several cases. If you believe you or a loved one has been a victim of a crime and are interested in exploring a potential civil lawsuit, please contact me immediately at nate@victimscivilattorneys.com.