Day Camp Employee Is the Focus of Sheriff’s Sex Crimes Probe

The Sheriff’s Department is investigating allegations that an employee of a Thousand Oaks day camp committed sex crimes against children.

At least two boys may have been victimized at the Young Set Club, 400 Rolling Oaks Drive, Ventura County Sheriff’s Sgt. Dave Paige said. Investigators are meeting with parents and children to determine if there are more alleged victims, Paige said.

“We’re at the beginning of the investigation,” Paige said. “We’re having meetings with parents and we will be talking to other employees.”

The Young Set Club is an American Camping Assn.-accredited day camp and swim school open to children 5 to 12 years old. It was founded in 1969 and is operated by a company based in the Northern California city of Campbell. The enrollment is 150, according to camp officials.

Citing the sensitive nature of the alleged crimes and the fact that no one has been arrested, detectives would not identify the suspect.

“Because it involves something more than a burglary or drunk driving, it can be really detrimental” to the employee, Paige said.

Paige equated the case to that of Richard Jewell, the onetime security guard who was implicated and ultimately exonerated in the bombing in Olympic Park during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Detectives also would not release details of the alleged crimes.

“The allegations involve various sex crimes, ranging anywhere from possible molestation to sexual batteries,” Paige said.

Deputies became involved in the case two weeks ago when they were notified by camp officials that an employee had been suspended after a parent complained of possible crimes, according to Paige.

The employee may have come in contact with as many as 400 children at the day camp, Paige said.

Susan Blake, director of administration for the Young Set Club, said camp officials acted quickly to remove the employee from the day camp after receiving a complaint from the parent.

“The employee in question has been on administrative leave for four weeks,” Blake said. “He was put on administrative leave as soon as the allegations were made and he has not been here since, and to our knowledge he has not had any contact with children” since being placed on leave.

Blake said she will spend the next several days handing out a letter on the matter to parents, and will meet with parents if necessary.

“We are playing it by ear, working with parents, meeting with parents individually,” Blake said.

“We have had a lot of reaction from parents and the overwhelming majority have been very supportive of this employee,” Blake said.

Some parents who came to the center Thursday afternoon to pick up their children were visibly angered by word of the Sheriff’s Department investigation.

“I’m appalled,” said one man who walked out of the building, his toddler under his right arm.

Others said the allegations were false.

“I don’t believe it,” said one woman who would not give her name. “I have five sisters-in-law who work here and know [the employee]. And I just don’t believe it.”

Attorney Samuel M. Besse, one of two attorneys who have been hired by the employee in response to the allegations, said his client has done nothing wrong and objected to deputies even announcing the investigation.

“We categorically deny all the charges and are very surprised at the technique the Sheriff’s Department has used to go after our client,” Besse said.

Besse said he was pleased to hear parents have come forward in support of his client.

On Thursday afternoon Blake met with sheriff’s deputies and parents of children at the day camp.

“We released a letter to the parents asking them to come forward if they have had any concerns about their children,” Blake said. “Our role is to continue the high quality of the program.”

Correspondent Lisa Fernandez contributed to this report.