As if recent revelations about sexual abuse (and coverups) in the Boy Scouts of America weren't bad enough, a 23-year-old Long Island man and assistant scout master was arrested yesterday on felony child pornography charges. Prosecutors have charged Edward Orenchuk III with three counts of promoting a sexual performance by a child and three counts of possessing a sexual performance by a child. Did we mention he works in a library, too?
Orenchuk, a page at the Garden City Public Library, an Eagle Scout and assistant scout master with Boys Scouts Troop #243 in Garden City, was arrested in his home yesterday and reportedly pretty much gave himself up. According to a release from the Nassau County DA, between August and September investigators "observed Orenchuk making multiple images of child pornography available over the Internet for download by other people." When they went to his home with a search warrant the young man reportedly indicated to authorities he had "hundreds of images on his personal computer." Reportedly some of the images on his computer included children as young as 5.
"This defendant's regular contact with children in a position of authority makes these charges that much more disturbing," Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice said after the arrest. He faces up to seven years in prison if found guilty.
"We were shocked to learn about the allegations against this individual," the Theodore Roosevelt Council of Boy Scouts, a regional group, said in statement after the arrest was announced (and after Orenchuk's membership was promptly revoked). "The behavior included in these allegations runs counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands."
