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  Youth Leader Traded Gifts for Sex Acts, Court Documents State

By Dara Rees
WHTM
February 8, 2011

http://www.abc27.com/Global/story.asp?S=13985654

[with video]

LITTLESTOWN, Pa. (WHTM) - An Littlestown man charged with raping two borough teenagers told authorities he had sexual relationships with about 10 teen boys he met while volunteering as a youth minister at a Hanover church, according to court papers in the case.

The charging documents state that 35-year-old Jeffrey Crosley promised gifts such as fishing rods, guns and cigarettes in exchange for sex acts.

"He would take them fishing," Littlestown police Chief Charles Kellar said. "Then he would eventually convince these kids to do other things."

Kellar said police have received additional reports of sexual abuse involving Crosley since Friday, when he was arrested for rape and other crimes against a 16-year-old and another boy who was between the ages of 12 and 16. He remained in prison Monday on $500,000 bail.

"He's a sick individual," Kellar said. "He's sitting exactly where he needs to be sitting."

Crosley had worked as a youth minister at the Jesus Messiah Evangelical Free Church in Hanover for the last 10 years. Investigators said the boys told them that they saw Crosley as a friend and a role model.

According to the court papers, Crosley told the teens that the sex acts were "normal" things that "friends do."

"He knew how to pick his victims," Kellar said. "Some of the kids were introverts, or they were going through problems like the death of a family member. Some of them were very fearful of him, if he would find out that they were talking to us about him, and they didn't know what he would do."

Church leaders have declined comment, but police said they are fully cooperating with the investigation. Kellar was unsure of whether the church did a background check, but said it wouldn't have found anything wrong.

"There is nothing in this investigation that leads me to believe that any of this, the pastors that we're talking with or the congregation, knew anything about this," Kellar said. "He was that good."

Authorities have said additional charges of possession of child pornography are pending because police seized numerous photographs appearing to depict teen boys from Crosley's home in the 100 block of Roberta Jean Avenue.

Anyone knowing of any possible sexual abuse by Crosley is asked to call Littlestown police at (717) 359-4511.

 
 

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