Former Troop Leader Accused Of Molesting Boy Scout
Austin TX, A former Boy Scout leader in Austin has been accused of molesting a young boy in his troop and is being investigated in a series of purported frauds.
Detectives say there may have been other possible victims in Amarillo and Plano.
"Doc" Mercer was charged Apr. 19 with two counts of sodomy of a child.
Mercer remained in the Travis County Jail Thursday on $50,000 bail.
Mercer was an assistant Scout leader with the troop, said Travis County sheriff's Detective Jim Dekanich.
Kay Godfrey, spokesman for the Texas Council of the Boy Scouts of America, said Mercer also worked as a counselor at a Boy Scout summer camp several years ago and may have been involved with troops in Amarillo.
"We've got the best youth and adult screening processes in place,'' Godfrey said. "This has been a really big deal with us for a lot of years. But every once in a while someone surfaces.''
All registered Scout leaders are given a background check. Godfrey said Mercer had a clean criminal history.
Godfrey said Mercer was terminated from Scouting after he allegedly hosted events at Hollywood Connection in Plano that were not sponsored by the Scouts.
In 2004, police investigated Mercer for allegedly running what Godfrey described as ``makeshift camping experiences.'' Barnard allegedly held clinics called "Camp Connection'' that were designed to help Scouts get merit badges.
"He allegedly booked functions (at Hollywood Connection) after hours involving Boy Scouts. He'd book functions, open (the business) up ... collect money. He hired people to do security but allegedly never paid them,'' said Plano police Capt. Tom McLachlan.
"We told him we would not support such an activity,'' Godfrey said. "We thought that's where that ended until we started to receive invoices from companies expected to be paid for activities he did anyway. This young man owes a number of companies a considerable amount of money, and they expect us to pay them.''
There is an open investigation by Plano police into the purchase of a vehicle with checks written on a closed account. Barnard is a person of interest in that case, McLachlan said.
The sodomy charges stem from alleged incidents at Mercer's home, Dekanich said.
Mercer allegedly befriended the boy, who was variously reported as 13 or under 13, and gave him gifts.
The mother of the boy became suspicious and called the sheriff's office on Apr. 17, Dekanich said.
Mercer was arrested Apr. 18th.
Austin TX, A former Boy Scout leader in Austin has been accused of molesting a young boy in his troop and is being investigated in a series of purported frauds.
Detectives say there may have been other possible victims in Amarillo and Plano.
"Doc" Mercer was charged Apr. 19 with two counts of sodomy of a child.
Mercer remained in the Travis County Jail Thursday on $50,000 bail.
Mercer was an assistant Scout leader with the troop, said Travis County sheriff's Detective Jim Dekanich.
Kay Godfrey, spokesman for the Texas Council of the Boy Scouts of America, said Mercer also worked as a counselor at a Boy Scout summer camp several years ago and may have been involved with troops in Amarillo.
"We've got the best youth and adult screening processes in place,'' Godfrey said. "This has been a really big deal with us for a lot of years. But every once in a while someone surfaces.''
All registered Scout leaders are given a background check. Godfrey said Mercer had a clean criminal history.
Godfrey said Mercer was terminated from Scouting after he allegedly hosted events at Hollywood Connection in Plano that were not sponsored by the Scouts.
In 2004, police investigated Mercer for allegedly running what Godfrey described as ``makeshift camping experiences.'' Barnard allegedly held clinics called "Camp Connection'' that were designed to help Scouts get merit badges.
"He allegedly booked functions (at Hollywood Connection) after hours involving Boy Scouts. He'd book functions, open (the business) up ... collect money. He hired people to do security but allegedly never paid them,'' said Plano police Capt. Tom McLachlan.
"We told him we would not support such an activity,'' Godfrey said. "We thought that's where that ended until we started to receive invoices from companies expected to be paid for activities he did anyway. This young man owes a number of companies a considerable amount of money, and they expect us to pay them.''
There is an open investigation by Plano police into the purchase of a vehicle with checks written on a closed account. Barnard is a person of interest in that case, McLachlan said.
The sodomy charges stem from alleged incidents at Mercer's home, Dekanich said.
Mercer allegedly befriended the boy, who was variously reported as 13 or under 13, and gave him gifts.
The mother of the boy became suspicious and called the sheriff's office on Apr. 17, Dekanich said.
Mercer was arrested Apr. 18th.
