Scout Molestation Case Opening

By ADAM GORLICK, Associated Press Writer

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (AP) - Many people considered Christopher Reardon to be truly trustworthy, with a resume that included youth minister, Boy Scout leader, YMCA swim coach.

C. Reardon

But his upstanding image and the serenity of the community of Middleton were shattered last summer when two boys accused him of molestation.

Within days, the police investigation blossomed into what prosecutors say is the state's largest ever child-molestation case. Reardon, 29, has pleaded innocent to 130 charges - including rape, molestation and disseminating pornography - involving 29 boys.

Jury selection for his trial was scheduled to begin Monday in Northampton, where the trial was moved out of concern he wouldn't get an impartial jury close to home.

A source close to the investigation, however, told The Associated Press on Sunday that Reardon is expected to avoid the trial by pleading guilty to most of the charges against him. Under terms of the deal, he would face life in prison, according to the source, who said a judge will decide if the sentence will be reduced. The plea bargain was offered to save the children from going through a long trial, the source said.

Essex District Attorney Kevin Burke refused to comment, saying he couldn't confirm the report for ethical reasons.

However, Reardon's attorney, John Andrews, told The Boston Globe: ``There has been no deal offered and none accepted. He has no idea what (sentence) he will get. There have been no concessions made.''

Andrews also said there is no assurance Reardon won't be tried on the remaining charges.

People in Middleton, about 20 miles north of Boston, say their community won't heal unless Reardon is convicted and put away for life.

``The whole town can't wait to get this over with so we can move on,'' said Susan Santa Barbara, a third-grade teacher who taught catechism classes with Reardon at St. Agnes Church. ``A lot of people are thinking why we even need a trial. We know he's guilty, so let's just put him away.''

Police say he admitted molesting some of the children and using pornography to lure the boys.

According to court records, police confiscated at least two dozen pornographic videos, photographs of nude children, inflatable dolls and sex toys from Reardon's home and church office. The documents also say they found a videotape of Reardon masturbating with a boy in the church rectory.

Santa Barbara said her two sons were not among the alleged victims, but she said they knew Reardon through church and scouting programs and now she's no longer the regular churchgoer she used to be.

``It's just too eerie to walk into that church where he was molesting those boys,'' she said. ``But the issue comes up everywhere. You'll be at a barbecue or at the market, and someone is talking about it. It's really shocked our community.''

If the case does go to trial, prosecutors plan to call 18 of the boys as witnesses. Superior Court Judge Isaac Borenstein says it could last two months.

``I feel so sorry for those kids,'' said Nancy Jones, who taught Reardon how to swim when he was a boy. Her children aren't among Reardon's accusers.

``When a parent heard that Chris was going to take a bunch of scouts somewhere, it was a seal of approval,'' Jones said. ``It's hard to be suspicious of someone who appeared to be doing so much good.''

That squeaky-clean image may have allowed the alleged abuse to go on for an extended period, some experts say. Prosecutors say the abuse began in 1996.

``Sometimes adults won't pick up on hints of abuse dropped by a child, especially if they point to someone of high standing in a community,'' said Ervin Staub, a social child psychology professor at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. ``And if the boys trusted him, they may have felt like they had a shared secret they didn't want to reveal.''

Some Middleton residents say the case has caused them to be more in tune with how children are acting.

``If there's a behavior problem or someone seems to be acting out in a strange way, you say in the back of your mind 'where is this coming from?''' said Jones, who is also a sixth-grade teacher. ``It's not that everyone suspects that child has been abused, but it's something that just pops into your head now.''