(WXYZ) — A Michigan community is in a state of shock after the Attorney General, Dana Nessel today announced the first set of criminal charges for the Boy Scouts of America investigation that started back in June.
The AG’s office and Michigan State Police received a total of 5,000 claims against the organization since then.
51-year-old Mark Chapman, a former Macomb County Boy Scout troop leader is facing a total of 10 charges for allegedly sexually abusing two victims when they were children.
The alleged incidents occurred at the victim's home, Chapman's house, and at a local church.
7 Action New reporter Faraz Javed tracked Chapman's former neighborhood and even the LDS Church in Roseville where Chapman used to be a member and also worked as part of their maintenance crew.
One of the members of the church told Faraz that Chapman was just like a regular guy. That's why the community is in absolute shock after hearing that an alleged predator lived and worked among them.
"Someone like that should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law," said John Kniscl, who has lived in the area for all his life and as a former boy scout from the 60s, John is horrified that a fellow scout could do something so heinous.
"Anytime you are in an origination like that it's instilling some really good values in you," said John Kniscl, a Roseville resident.
Mark Chapman, who is already in a New York prison for sex crimes, now faces fresh new charges in Michigan.
They include eight counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, which involves touching, and two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, which involves penetration.
The charges stem from alleged abuse against two victims.
According to the AG’s office, the first case allegedly began in 2000 when the victim was 13 or 14 and continued until he was a senior in high school.
The second case allegedly involved a family member around 11 years old.
"I don’t care what you do with another consulting adult, but I don’t understand people like that," said James Parkhurst, another Roseville resident. Parkhurst says he takes such cases personally because his roommate was a victim of child sexual abuse.
"It can totally just destroy people and they won't admit what's going on, they bury it so deep that someone they trust and love can bring so much damage to their life," said Mark Chapman, a Roseville resident.
Chapman moved to New York in 2007 and is currently being held at a corrections facility there for 20 to life and aims to seek parole in August of this year.
And as authorities here work to extradite Chapman back to Michigan, AG Dana Nessel says the investigation team will leave no stone unturned for the 51-year-old to face the full extent of the law.
"It remains imperative that sexual predators are held accountable and that one of my top priorities remains securing justice for survivors of abuse," said Dana Nessel, Michigan Attorney General.
Also, the Attorney General says that the Boy Scouts of America are cooperating with the case. But so far the organization hasn't responded to 7 Action News's request for comment.
