A former Boy Scouts leader pleaded guilty after being accused of sexually abusing two boys in Michigan in the early 1990s 2000 .
Mark Chapman, 52 could spend decades in jail after his guilty plea on Monday of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree and one count of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree, according to a press release from the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.
The guilty plea for the first charge for Chapman, who was involved with the Boy Scouts of America, came with a plea agreement of 12 to 20 years in prison, while the second count included a sentence of between 10 to 17 years, according to a press release from the office of the attorney general. Additionally, Chapman accepted the sex offender registry for life.
Chapman was the first person targeted by authorities since March of an ongoing investigation by the Boy Scouts of America, according to an earlier news release. Eight counts of criminal sexual conduct in the second degree and two counts of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree were initially announced. His sentence is scheduled for next December 13, reported CNN.
“The accusations made against adults in the Boy Scouts of America are far-reaching, and my department continues to review information and evidence to bring charges against those who have used their positions of authority to harm children,” said Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.
The first case related to Chapman dates back to 2000, when the victim was between 12 and 13 years, and the abuse continued until the adolescent I was 17 years old and in my last year of high school. The events occurred at the victim’s father’s house, at Chapman’s house and at a local church, Nessel noted.
The second case involved a relative of Chapman who had 11 years when he began being abused, which lasted for years “and often revolved around times designated as special opportunities to that Chapman spend time with the child,” added Nessel.
The authorities are investigating over 5,000 allegations of sexual abuse submitted by the Boy Scouts for review.