By Edward Fennell , Gene Sapakoff
Post and Courier
November 2, 2011
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/nov/01/molestation-case-could-grow/
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| Louis Neal ‘Skip' ReVille allegedly admitted to sex acts with three boys. |
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Police who charged a well-traveled local coach and school official with sexually assaulting three teenage boys are asking any other victims to step forward.
More charges are expected "probably in the next few days," Mount Pleasant Police Chief Harry Sewell Jr. said Tuesday. "Our main purpose is to seek the truth in all this."
Local school, church and recreation officials expressed shock and outrage after learning that ReVille, a coach, tennis pro, church leader and until Monday, a school vice principal, has been charged with three counts each of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and committing a lewd act on a minor under 16.
ReVille, 32, of Lohr Drive in Mount Pleasant, is being held on $675,000 bail at the Cannon Detention Center. It is unclear whether he has an attorney. The charges relate to incidents with boys aged 13 to 15, according to warrants. ReVille was arrested Friday, and gave investigators written statements admitting to performing sexual acts on three boys, the warrants said.
His resume includes jobs working with youths in numerous recreation programs and schools from Mount Pleasant to Summerville, beginning with a stint as a teacher and basketball coach at Pinewood Prep from 2002 to 2006.
ReVille has been a tennis coach at Bishop England High School, a coach at the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department, a basketball coach at Moultrie Middle School, a travel league basketball coach, and a coach at Velocity Sports Performance in Mount Pleasant.
Background checks
A married father of baby triplets, ReVille has been fired by Coastal Christian Preparatory School, where he was upper school assistant principal.
"We are devastated by these charges. While the allegations occurred before his employment with us and, to our knowledge, do not involve any Coastal Christian Prep students, this is certainly not consistent with our mission," Dr. Brent Egan, Coastal Christian board chairman, said Monday.
"Of course, you're always concerned when this kind of thing happens that there might be more (children) coming forward. At this point we don't have any confirmation of problems with any of our students but there is always that potential," Egan said.
ReVille and his wife attend Eastbridge Presbyterian Church in Mount Pleasant, where Reville serves as a youth Bible study leader. He also, on his own, led Bible studies on weekday mornings at a Mount Pleasant doughnut shop and at other times at Velocity Sports Performance.
"Right now, we have no comment," an Eastbridge spokeswoman said.
Ken Ayoub, director of the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department, said ReVille served as a tennis coach, beginning in June of 2007 and most recently as a summer league basketball coach this year.
"The focus, if everything is true, should all be on the kids and about what this monster did to their lives," Ayoub said.
Both Ayoub and Egan said ReVille passed required background checks, including a mandatory second check after his third year with the rec department. "If he had done anything like this before, he was never caught. In fact, he got very favorable ratings on the parent surveys we give out," Ayoub said.
"It kind of makes you think that if someone comes into our office and volunteers, you wonder what the motives are. It makes you suspicious of everyone that comes in now because it just hits so close to home," Ayoub added.
Egan said Coastal Christian and the affiliated First Baptist Church do thorough background checks on job candidates, including ReVille before he was hired in November 2010. Egan met with Coastal Christian board members and teachers on Sunday, and school staff met with students Monday.
A meeting with parents was scheduled for Monday night to include child abuse prevention experts from Darkness to Light, Egan said.
ReVille also passed a criminal background check when hired by Velocity Sports Performance, business director Dirk DeWitt said. He said ReVille worked as a salesman and athletic recruiter from 2008 to 2010.
"He left on his own and with no problems," DeWitt said.
The investigation
Since the charges became known, at least three other Mount Pleasant youths have been interviewed by police investigating the case, parents of the children told The Post and Courier.
Mount Pleasant police Capt. Stan Gragg said ReVille "had numerous positions within the tri-county area, in both paid and volunteer capacities where he has had contact with minors. It is anticipated additional charges will be filed as the case progresses," Gragg said.
He said the investigation began early Friday when his department received information from the Dee Norton Lowcountry Children's Center concerning possible cases of criminal sexual conduct with minors. An incident report provides no details, other than to say police were notified of "suspicious activity" dating back to July of last year.
"Mount Pleasant Police Department is asking the public's help with any information relative to the suspect or additional victims," Gragg said.
"We are all in shock that this could happen," said a Mount Pleasant father who said he was interviewed by Mount Pleasant police Saturday because his son once played on a basketball team coached by ReVille. "We feel for the families. This is devastating to them."
Three parents whose sons played basketball for ReVille said he often suggested having "workout sleepovers."
Contact: efennell@postandcourier.com
Contact: gsapakoff@pos
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