Bartow Cases Among Boy Scout 'Perversion Files'

Allegations of child sexual abuse against 97 Georgia men who were in Boy Scouts of America leadership roles from the '60s through mid-80s include cases in Cartersville and Emerson, according to an online map and documents published by the Los Angeles Times.

More than a thousand men were outed by the documents, released Thursday by the organization. The number of boys allegedly molested by the men is more than 4,000.

Scout leaders from Calhoun, Rome, Kennesaw and Marietta also are on the list, which identifies some of the men by name and others by a unique number. Cases in Bartow County, which involve two men identified by the numbers 4873 and 4874 include:

• Cartersville: 1997, troop No. 54
• Emerson: 1997, troop No. 95

The accused men were not reported to authorities, but kept in a file to prevent them from volunteering with the organization again. Some, however, continued in the roles.

The files are known as the "ineligible volunteer" files. After one Pennsylvania man admitted to "acts of perversion" with scouts, he resigned. An executive with the organization wrote the following, as first reported on NBCNews.com:

“If it is acceptable with you, I would like to let this case drop. [He] is undergoing professional treatment in an effort to stabilize his emotional stability. He recognizes that he has had a problem and he is personally taking steps to resolve this situation. The community involved is rather unique and one father has threatened legal action which could only injure the Boy Scouts of America.

Therefore, I would suggest that we let it drop. My personal opinion in this particular case is, ‘if it don't stink, don't stir it.’"

The man was later re-admitted as a leader within the Boy Scouts organization.

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