By Glenn Smith
Post and Courier
November 24, 2011
http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/nov/24/reville-case-spills-into-summerville/
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| Louis 'Skip' ReVille makes a bond court appearance Wednesday at the Charleston County Detention Center. ReVille's attorney has described his client as 'extremely sorrowful' and ashamed. |
Charges are piling up against Louis "Skip" ReVille as investigators use the admitted molester's own confessions to guide them to potential victims, with Summerville police becoming the latest agency to join the hunt.
ReVille is detailing his misdeeds in regular meetings with detectives, and he likely will pass on going to trial to spare his numerous victims any further damage, his attorney said Wednesday.
ReVille's incriminating statements led to six more charges against him in Mount Pleasant this week, and Summerville police revealed Wednesday they are investigating several more cases in their town. So far, at least nine victims have been identified in Mount Pleasant alone.
ReVille's attorney, Craig Jones, said the former coach and teacher meets with detectives a few times each week, and most names that have surfaced in the case are coming straight from him. Jones described ReVille as "extremely sorrowful" and ashamed of his actions.
More than a dozen charges have been filed against him to date, and more are expected soon through grand jury indictments, authorities said. Jones said it is too early to discuss the charges to which his client might plead, but ReVille doesn't want to drag his victims through the ordeal of a trial.
"He is resolute in wanting to do whatever he can to continue to cooperate in this case," Jones said. "He is sorry for what he has done. He knows he can't make it right. But whatever he can do to minimize future impact, he wants to do."
Written statements
Jones' comments came after ReVille appeared in Charleston County bond court to face the new Mount Pleasant charges. He is accused of fondling, masturbating or performing oral sex on four boys between the ages of 12 and 15 whom he coached in town.
The incidents reportedly occurred in his car, at his Lohr Drive home and at Eastbridge Presbyterian Church, where ReVille served as a youth group leader.
Church officials could not be reached for comment.
ReVille provided police with written statements implicating himself in the crimes, according to arrest affidavits. ReVille told investigators he performed sex acts on one victim about 20 times, starting when the boy when 12, affidavits stated.
Magistrate Linda Lombard set bail at $400,000 on two counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and four counts of committing a lewd act on a child under age 16.
That brings ReVille's total bail to about $1.4 million. He remains behind bars at the Charleston County jail, where he has been segregated from the general population.
ReVille, wearing a striped jail jumpsuit and sporting a freshly shorn head, appeared at the hearing through teleconferencing. He said little and appeared downcast, averting his eyes from the camera.
No timetable
As ReVille faced the judge, investigators in Summerville were at work trying to find more of the victims he named in his statements. ReVille lived in Summerville for several years, and his first teaching job was at Pinewood Preparatory School, from 2002 to 2006.
Police Capt. Jon Rogers didn't have a firm count on the number of victims in Summerville, but he said ReVille's statements included several names. The victims appear to have been underage boys, he said.
Hanahan police have indicated that they plan to charge ReVille with molesting five boys between the ages of 12 and 16 in their community. Charleston police and the State Law Enforcement Division also are investigating whether any sexual abuse occurred at The Citadel, where ReVille supervised boys in a summer camp.
A former camper has accused ReVille of showing pornography to boys and masturbating with them in his room in 2002.
Jones had no timetable for when the case might wrap up, saying that would be up to police and prosecutors. "We would obviously like it to be as soon as possible so maybe the victims can begin to get some sense of closure," he said.
Also Wednesday, the Diocese of Charleston revealed that it had not conducted a background check on ReVille before hiring him to work at Bishop England High School, where he was a tennis coach during the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons.
The diocese adopted a policy in 2003 requiring all employees and volunteers who regularly work with children to undergo a background screening and attend a safe-environment training session.
ReVille was not screened, nor did he attend the training. "The diocese regrets this very much," the Catholic organization said in a statement.
It is unclear what the screening might have found, as ReVille had a clean criminal record before his recent arrests.
The diocese said it does not know of any Bishop England students abused by ReVille, but it encouraged students and tennis team members to contact police if they have information about ReVille's crimes.
Contact: gsmith@postandcourier.com
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