Indictment: Ex-scout leader sexually abused 5 boys
A former Boy Scout leader and coach has been indicted on 20 felony counts of rape and sexual battery of a child involving five boys.
Two of the charges are bribery of a witness, which accuse Darrell G. Fisher of also giving two of the boys money so they would not come forward.
Fisher was arrested in January. Nashville police said at the time that 44-year-old Fisher forged a father-like relationship with an 11-year-old boy. Fisher began taking the child to Boy Scouts of America meetings and became an assistant scout leader, police said.
The boy came forward in January, when he was 17, starting the investigation. The boy said the abuse occurred over several years, according to police. Fisher lived in the 6000 block of Jocelyn Hollow Road, where police say the acts occurred.
"We removed him immediately when the allegation came up," said Scout executive Larry Brown of the Middle Tennessee Council. He said after the arrest that two meetings were held with families who may have known Fisher, and counseling was made available.
"This is a terrible thing, but we wanted to do all we could to help the families," Brown said. "We have 6,300 leaders in the Middle Tennessee Council. One case of this is too many; we’ll always strive to protect our young people."
Metro police spokesman Don Aaron said Fisher met the additional four boys through World War II re-enactment programs Fisher led for the Boy Scouts. Police in January asked the public for more information on Fisher, saying he also had contact with children through scouting, coaching lacrosse and other sports and during his hobby, World War II re-enactments.
The indictment names five boys as victims and says the abuse happened between 2008 and 2015. The boys were ages 11 to 14 when the incidents began, according to the indictment.
Fisher is in jail. He is scheduled for an arraignment on May 11. He was indicted on the following charges:
- Nine counts of aggravated sexual battery on a child under the age of 13.
- Two counts of statutory rape by an authority figure.
- Sexual battery by an authority figure.
- Five counts of sexual battery by an authority figure.
- Continuous sexual abuse of a child.
- Two counts of bribery of a witness.
Reach Stacey Barchenger at 615-726-8968 or on Twitter @sbarchenger.