IMAGES: Josh Shapiro, PA Attorney General (left),
Willie Weber, Former Lycoming County Chief Detective &
current Little League World Series Team Host (Uncle) (top middle),
Williamsport Bureau of Police logo (bottom middle)
and Brandon Pardoe, WAHS head principal
By Todd Bartley, TalkWilliamsport.com
News@TalkWilliamsport.com
Earlier today, Attorney Gregory A. Stapp, Esquire of Stapp Law, LLC notified Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro of his intention to pursue civil litigation against him and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on behalf of JOHN DOE#1 in the 2018 Williamsport Area High School baseball “criminal sexual misconduct” case.
Stapp also served a letter on Fred Holland, Williamsport Area School District Solicitor who has previously characterized the case as “indecent and inappropriate behavior.”
Holland represents the Williamsport Area School District including Superintendent Dr. Tim Bowers.
Bowers was heard on a hot microphone speaking to another WASD school board member at the most recent school board meeting when told that board member had retained legal counsel related to this case; “nothing will ever happen with that.”
Another letter was provided to the City of Williamsport as well as a letter to the Lycoming County Commissioners; since the Office of District Attorney falls under their legal purview.
Editor’s Note: The names of JOHN DOE#1, PERPETRATOR #1 (who was found guilty of criminal behavior by South Carolina authorities) and other identifying details of parties have been redacted.
Editor’s Note: JOHN DOE#1 (is Black), PERPETRATOR #1 (is white).
The letters include the following fact pattern narrative;
“VIA FEDERAL EXPRESS
Josh Shapiro, Attorney General
Pennsylvania of Office of the Attorney General
Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
RE: REDACTED
Dear Sir/Madam:
The purpose of this letter is to provide you with notice pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S.A. §5522 that REDACTED, REDACTED, and JOHN DOE#1, located at REDACTED intends to make a claim against multiple Commonwealth agencies for failure to report and properly handle the indecent assault, harassment and intimidation of JOHN DOE#1 that took place in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina while on the Williamsport High School baseball trip in March of 2018. This cause of action will be against the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Williamsport Area School District, Lycoming County, Williamsport City Police (City of Williamsport) and other defendants, including, but not limited to, employees and agents of each of these various governmental agencies.
JOHN DOE#1 was assaulted by PERPETRATOR #1 at the Atlantica Resort while other members of the baseball team were present, one of which videotaped the assault (VIDEOGRAPHER #1) and posted the video on social media. There were five coaches with the baseball team on this trip.
Brandon Pardoe, Williamsport High School Principal, and Sean McCann, the Athletic Director, were also on the trip. One of the five coaches, Nick Caringi, a volunteer coach, was an employee of Little League Baseball Incorporated at the time of the assault. All the above individuals were mandated reporters under the Child Protective Services Law, 23 Pa.C.S.A. §6311. Despite this fact, none of these individuals reported the assault on JOHN DOE#1, either while in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or when they returned to Williamsport.
Editor’s Note: Ryan Miller, WAHS head baseball coach, and assistant coaches, David Heller, Tariq Moore, Kyle Schneider and Joel Worthington were the five other coaches in addition to Caringi, that accompanied the WAHS baseball team on the 2018 trip.
Over the course of the months following this incident, each of the agencies involved participated in an effort to cover up the assault on JOHN DOE#1. The assault was initially reported by an individual who was not on the trip to Myrtle Beach with the team or affiliated with Williamsport Area School District. When the referral of this matter was finally made to Childline, the matter was referred to the Lycoming County District Attorney’s Office.
Acting District Attorney, Ken Osokow, referred this matter to Chief County Detective William Weber. Despite the fact that a meeting was held with JOHN DOE#1 at Brandon Pardoe’s office in May 2018, the Resource Officers at Williamsport Area School District, such as Officer Stoltzfus, told officers in Myrtle Beach that they had no knowledge of the incident in October 2018. Officer Stoltzfus is an employee of the Williamsport City Police Department.
As a direct and proximate result of the assault, harassment and intimidation of JOHN DOE#1, and the subsequent attempts to cover up the assault, JOHN DOE#1 has suffered numerous damages.
Should you have any questions regarding this claim, please direct them to my attention. This letter will serve as notice that a copy has been served upon Lycoming County, Williamsport Area School District, and the City of Williamsport.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Very truly yours,
STAPP LAW, LLC
Gregory A. Stapp, Esquire”
cc: Lycoming County Commissioner’s Office
Fred Holland, Esquire (WASD Solicitor)
City of Williamsport
REDACTED
As previously reported by TalkWilliamsport.com on October 20, 2020 PA AG Josh Shapiro sends clear message to mandated reporters who fail to report.
“I echo everything the Secretary (Miller) just said. I would just add. There are no higher priorities than protecting the most vulnerable in our state and children often times are the most vulnerable and when we find folks who are mandated reporters who are covering up abuse, we will hold them accountable.
We’ve charged many people, with, for example endangering the welfare of children.
We will not hesitate to charge mandated reporters who think they can cover-up abuse going on in a particular situation; whether a school, a place of worship, a school bus, whatever the case may be. And I think our record speaks for itself on that.”
Josh Shapiro, Attorney General was contacted for this story and at this writing has yet to respond.
The Lycoming County Commissioner’s were contacted for this story and at this writing have yet to respond.
Fred Holland, Esquire, WASD Solicitor as well as Superintendent Dr. Tim Bowers, were contacted for this story and at this writing have yet to respond.
Mayor Derek Slaughter and City of Williamsport, Solicitor, Austin White were contacted for this story and at this writing have yet to respond.
This is an exclusive and developing story on TalkWilliamsport.com.
