AG Kelly’s Statement
December 7, 2011

HARRISBURG – Agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Pennsylvania State Police today filed new criminal charges against Gerald A. Jerry Sandusky, age 67, of 130 Grandview Road, State College, as part of an ongoing grand jury investigation into alleged sexual assaults of children.

Today’s criminal charges were recommended by a statewide investigating grand jury, based on evidence and testimony that was received following the initial arrest of Sandusky on November 5th, Kelly said. At that time, Sandusky was charged with sexually assaulting eight victims, all of whom first encountered Sandusky as children through The Second Mile, a[n] organization that he founded to operate programs for disadvantaged young people.

Kelly said these latest criminal charges come following grand jury testimony from two additional young men, identified as Victim 9 and Victim 10, who were allegedly targeted by Sandusky when they were children.

As in many of the other cases identified to date, the contact with Sandusky allegedly fit a pattern of “grooming” victims, Kelly said, “Beginning with outings to football games and gifts; they later included physical contact that escalated to sexual assaults.”

According to the grand jury, Victim 9 first encountered Sandusky in approximately 2004, while participating in a summer camp organized by The Second Mile, when he was 11 or 12 years old. Sandusky allegedly approached the young man, engaged him in conversation and expressed an interest in spending more time with the child.

Kelly said Sandusky allegedly took the boy to numerous Penn State University football games and gave him gifts and money.

Later, the grand jury found that during overnight stays at Sandusky’s home, behavior such as hugging, rubbing, cuddling and tickling initially viewed as acts of affection escalated to sexual assaults. Additional sex acts were allegedly performed in the swimming pool and Jacuzzi of a hotel in the State College area, at times when the pool area was not occupied.

According to the presentment, Sandusky told Victim 9 that he loved and cared for him and urged him to keep their activities secret.

In the case of Victim 10, the boy was referred to The Second Mile in 1997, when he was 10 years old, at the recommendation of a counselor because of difficulties in his home life. Sandusky allegedly approached the boy during a summer camp and later made arrangements to take the boy to several Penn State Football games where the boy played football at Holuba Hall on the Penn State campus before the game, attended “tailgate parties” prior to the game and spent time at the Sandusky home.

According to the grand jury, “wrestling” sessions in the basement of Sandusky’s home eventually escalated to incidents where Sandusky performed oral sex on the boy. Victim 10 also detailed incidents which occurred at a swimming pool on the Penn State Campus, along with an encounter in a car when Sandusky allegedly exposed himself and requested oral sex from the boy.

As in other cases, Sandusky allegedly gave the boy gifts and frequently told the boy that he loved him.

Sandusky is charged with four counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and two counts of unlawful contact with a minor, all first-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to 20 years in prison and $25,000 fines.

Additionally, he is charged with one count of indecent assault and two counts of endangering the welfare of children, all third-degree felonies which are each punishable by up to seven years in prison and $15,000 fines.

Sandusky is also charged with one count of indecent assault and two counts of corruption of minors, all first-degree misdemeanors each punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 fines.

Sandusky was arrested today by agents from the Attorney General’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police and preliminarily arraigned before Senior Magisterial District Judge Robert E. Scott, from Westmoreland County, who has been assigned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to handle this matter. A preliminary hearing is currently scheduled for Tuesday, December 13th, at 8:30 a.m., before Magisterial District Judge Robert E. Scott, at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte.

Attorney General Kelly thanked the Pennsylvania State Police for their continued cooperation and assistance with this ongoing investigation.

Kelly and Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Noonan emphasized that this remains an active and ongoing investigation and stress that any information or leads should be provided to the Attorney General’s Office and Pennsylvania State Police. Potential victims or others with information related to this case are asked to contact investigators from the Office of Attorney General at 814-863-1053 or Pennsylvania State Police at 814-470-2238.

As in any other criminal investigation, we will continue to follow the evidence and facts wherever they lead,? Kelly said.

(A person charged with a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty)