HENDRICKS COUNTY, Ind. — A Hendricks County cub scout leader is facing 14 felony charges including child molestation, vicarious sexual conduct and sexual misconduct with a minor after four men accused him of abusing them as children.
Kevin Coley was arrested earlier this month in Florida after a months-long investigation into the sexual abuse allegations against him.
The investigation started in early February when a man called in to the Hendrick County Dispatch Center and reported that he was sexually abused by Kevin Coley.
Victim 1, as he’s known in court documents, said he met Coley when he was 8- or 9 years old because Coley was a leader at a Cub Scout Pack in Avon, according to court documents. Investigators learned that years later, Victim 1 began having a sexual relationship with another one of Coley’s alleged victims.
According to court documents, the boy told investigators that Coley watched he and the other boy have sex on multiple occasions. In some instances, Coley would perform oral sex on the boys and have sex with them.
Investigators found a total of four victims, who reported being abused by Coley.
One victim told investigators that during a trip they were on, Coley would try to take his towel and make jokes about genitals, according to court documents. The boy also reported that Coley would watch pornography in front of them while his wife slept.
Another victim told investigators that Coley would make him and another boy strip in front of them, according to court documents. Several of the boys told investigators that Coley would purchase sex toys for them.
One victim told investigators that Coley “groomed” them.
Court documents reveal he would tell the boys “if you guys complete this (indicating a sexual act) they would be rewarded like being able to stay up late, and he would get them ice cream the next day.”
“It’s not uncommon for children to not report or delay reporting,” said Sandy Runkle with Prevent Child Abuse Indiana.
Runkle, who is not connected to the case, said it is not shocking to hear that the alleged abuser is a cub scout leader.
“It’s usually somebody who’s in a position of authority and has access to children,” Runkle said.
Runkle said the age the boys were when the abuse happened also made them particularly vulnerable.
“A lot of those children are now not that supervised by their parents and so they’re doing activities and things apart from the family,” Runkle said.
Runkle said the important thing is to remind victims that it’s not their fault. She encourages parents to talk with their children and make them feel comfortable enough to tell them anything.
“Build that trust, that bonding, that attachment so that as they grow they always know they can come to you with anything,” Runkle said.
The Crossroads of America Council said in a statement that it takes allegations of abuse seriously. The council said its records show Coley has not been an active member since 2017.
Court documents indicate none of the abuse allegations occurred on Scout property or at a Scout event.
If anyone has any information about this case or knows of any additional incidents involving Coley, they are encouraged to contact Sgt. Chandler at the Hendricks County Sheriff’s Office at (317) 745-4033.
