The following is the result of a more than 18-month long investigation by Talk Williamsport into the Williamsport Area High School Baseball Team trip to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in the spring of 2018.
This story is graphic and contains details related to multiple indecent sexual assaults.
The author and editor of this story have made the editorial decision to not publish the names of the individuals under the age of 18 at the time of the incident who have been clearly identified as committing these acts in this case since they have not been formally charged with a crime.
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball
IF NOTHING HAPPENED IN MYRTLE BEACH
WHY WON’T THE WASD TELL US THE STORY?
PART XIII
By Todd Bartley, Talk Williamsport
News@talkwilliamsport.com
MYRTLE BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT ANSWERS FOIA REQUEST
On April 30, 2020, the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Police Department provided answers and documentation originally requested by Talk Williamsport in October 2019 and updated its request in January of this year.
The Freedom of Information Act request sought documents related to the indecent and inappropriate behavior of Williamsport Millionaire baseball players during the 2018 trip to Myrtle Beach.
Information provided by the Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Police Department (MBPD) confirms details exclusively reported by Talk Williamsport.
It also fills in some omitted or missing information previously requested in Right-to-Know requests submitted to the Williamsport Area School District.
TIMELINE REVIEW
As Part I of this series opened:
The Williamsport Area High School Baseball Team trip of a lifetime to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in the spring of 2018 which Fred Holland the Williamsport School District Solicitor, characterized the incident as ”indecent and inappropriate as it relates to the behavior of a Williamsport Area High School Baseball player” changed a players life when he was attacked by teammates.
In addition, after surviving the attacks they were then denied the justice they deserve when those who were charged with ensuring their safety colluded with others in positions of power to protect the abuser.
BACKGROUND OF INCIDENT FROM MILLIONAIRE MAYHEM STORY
In late March of 2018 the Williamsport Area High School Baseball team took a trip to play games in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Several Williamsport Area High School administrators including Head High School Principal Brandon Pardoe and Athletic Director Sean McCann, both of whom had sons on the team at the time also made the trip.
BRANDON PARDOE MISLEADS MYRTLE BEACH POLICE DETECTIVES
Brandon Pardoe in the center of the photo above, had a conversation on September 28, 2018 with Detective Aiesi of the Myrtle Beach Police Department.
The call was recorded by the MBPD and provided to Talk Williamsport as part of the responses to the Freedom of Information Act request.
This call was also confirmed by the WASD in the Right to Know mediation in Brandon Pardoe’s personal notes from his investigation of the Myrtle Beach incident.
The audio portions of the call are listed below along with transcriptions of the sections.
Detective Aiesi is listed as A, Pardoe is listed as P and Detective Porter is listed as DP.
A: How are you today?
P: I’m well (high pitch in his voice)
A: Ok
A: I’m hoping you might be able to help me, we (interrupted by Pardoe)
P: Could you say your name again detective? I’m sorry.
A: It’s Detective Aiesi
P: Aiesi
A: It’s spelled A-I-E-S-I and I’m with the Myrtle Beach Police Department here in South Carolina.
P: ok
A: We were contacted today by, a, um, a reporter for a sports magazine, who, (sigh) they gave us a link and they wanted our input, on apparently there was an assault that occurred down here in Myrtle Beach that involved some of your students I guess its the Millionaire Mayhem Baseball team that were down here over spring break
P: uh hmm
A: And we have no record of any such incident being reported to our department.
P: Right
A: We have made several phone calls to several different law enforcement agencies up there to try to gather some information and were kinda getting the run around. Are you familiar with this incident?
P: Can I ask you tried to speak with?
A: Who?
P: That may help.
A: Well, uh, Porter who did you call?
DP: Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office, City of Williamsport Police Department
A: The District Attorney’s Office and the Lycoming County, City of Williamsport Police Department
P: So the, the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office, um, the, the agent there to speak with is William Weber.
A: William Weber, ok, do you, would you happen to have a number for him?
P: uh, actually, let me check here ok, it may take me just a minute to find it.
A: ok
A: Yeah, everybody we have called that was named in the article, is kind of you know, kind of giving us the runaround here. We’re like, hmm, ok (laughs)
P: I don’t know who you’ve tried to speak to, that you know, that on that end of it as far as that goes
A: Yeah, I figured you would know who would be involved, you know, to at least point us in the right direction
P: Absolutely so, just trying to find this here, just trying here, you’d think, (garbled)
P: Alright, here we go, (garbled)
A: Yeah, this has just been sprung on us and we’re kind of in the dark, so we’re trying to
P: Yeah, and I, I think, I, I think its best that you pry speak with Agent Weber
A: Ok, absolutely
P: Is that fair enough?
A: That’s absolutely, if you can point me in the direction of somebody I can speak to that’s wonderful; because right now we have nothing.
P: Let me see if I can’t help you out here, ok
A: Thank you so much
P: Yeah, hang on a second, um
(background noises)
P: Alright, so, ok, so I looked it up here, um,
A: OK
P: I have actually two things, let’s see here, I’m trying to see if there is like a number, um there isn’t but there is a uh a uh well, a uh e-mail for him, I could give you that, but then I’ll look up and try another way to find a number, OK
A: Yeah, I’ll take the e-mail now if you have that now, that would be great
P: That would be great
P: Yeah, it’s wweber, w-w-e-b-e-r-
A: uh hmm
P: @-l-y-c-o-.-o-r-g
A: Ok, w-w-e-b-e-r-@-l-y-c-o-.-o-r-g
P: Yes, so that’s – that part, so let me just see if I can find a number for you
(background noise and laughter)
P: You would think it would be on the website, I’m not finding it that easily, umm
A: (laughing)
A: If you want to write down my name and I’ll give you my office line cause this is a ghost number that came up um, because if there is something criminal that occurred here, we will obviously adopt the case um being that it occurred in our jurisdiction this way the line of communication can remain open
P: Sure
A: Like I said, my name is Detective Aiesi
P: That’s Aie, s is in Sam – i – and I’m with the Myrtle Beach Police Department down here in South Carolina. And my office line, my direct office line is 843-REDACTED
P: And Detective, you know, I just think its best that you speak to Agent Weber, just because of the you know I think he can fill you in best as to what the ins and outs are of this case being he did investigate it here on our end. I know its in your jurisdiction but certainly he’s the one that pry can give you the best information.
A: So as far as you know, he’s been the investigating officer
P: Yes
A: Wonderful, alright then that’s who we will start off with. But I really appreciate your help and um
P: Oh yeah, not a problem
A: If you have any questions you can feel free to call me at anytime and um we will remain in touch, ok sir.
P: Alright sounds good, thank you
A: Thank you very much, you have a good day
P: Alright, you too, bye bye
A: bye bye
QUESTIONS FROM THE PARDOE CALL WITH DETECTIVE AIESI
When initially asked Are you familiar with this incident by Detective Aiesi; why does Pardoe not provide any information on the interviews he personally conducted?
Why does Pardoe not inform Detective Aiesi he was actually on the trip?
Why does Pardoe not inform Detective Aiesi he was in meetings as documented by Fred Holland invoices with attorneys George Lepley and Holland discussing “investigations”?
Why does Pardoe not inform Detective Aiesi he had a family member in the room during the alleged incident?
Why does Pardoe answer (P: Right) when Detective Aiesi informs him “A: And we have no record of any such incident being reported to our department”?
How is Pardoe aware MBPD has no report of the alleged incident?
Why does Pardoe state “I know its in your jurisdiction but certainly he’s (Weber) the one that can give you the best information” and have to have MBPD Detective Aiesi call him in September of 2018 to inform him of what he claims to not know?
Why had Pardoe in his role as a mandatory reporter; fail to call the MBPD, since of his own admission “I know its in your jurisdiction” about the incident in the first place?
Why does Pardoe continue to give Detective Aiesi the run around, when he has knowledge of the incident having conducted an investigation as documented in the WASD Right to Know answers previously provided?
Did Pardoe as head principal of Williamsport Area High School have a supervisory role of WASD employees, staff and students in this case?
Why wasn’t the first phone call Brandon Pardoe made to the Myrtle Beach Police Department be out of an abundance of caution?
If nothing happened on the 2018 Williamsport Baseball team trip to Myrtle Beach why was Pardoe stonewalling MBPD Detectives in 2018?
Part XIV is forthcoming.
LINKS TO 12-PART SERIES PUBLISHED BY Talk Williamsport
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART XII
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART XI
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART X
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART IX
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART VIII
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART VII
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART VI
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART V
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART IV
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART III
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART II
A Baseball Story In The Birthplace Of Little League Baseball – PART I
