By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
State police brought new charges against a former assistant chaplain at a boy scout camp and several South County churches after a fifth victim came forward to allege abuse.
James Glawson, 74 appeared Wednesday morning in district court in Wakefield for a status conference when police charged him with first-degree sexual assault and first-degree and second-degree child molestation.
“As of this time there’s a total of 15 counts with five victims,” said Major Timothy Sanzi, Detective Commander for the Rhode Island State Police.
Glawson, who was initially arrested February 14 was continued held without bail, no charges were entered to the new counts because they are felonies, which cannot be processed in the district court.
“This is an active and ongoing investigation,” Sanzi said. He asked anyone else with information regarding Glawson to contact detectives at 401-764-5346, or to call Day One, which describes itself as a support and advocacy group for victims of sexual abuse and violence.
“It is difficult for complaints to come forward,” he conceded. “It requires a great deal of bravery, and it’s a very sensitive matter and these investigations are very difficult to handle from our perspective as well.”
Rhode Island has no statute of limitations for crimes involving allegations of sexual assault. Glawson, who lived in Exeter, faces charges that could carry penalties of up to life in prison.
In a news release, State Police stated that they learned during their investigation that: “Glawson had been affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America from 1980 through 2018. He also served as an assistant Catholic chaplain and Eucharistic minister at the St. John Bosco Chapel at Yawgoog Scout Reservation, a summer camp in Hopkinton that is run by the Narragansett Council of the Boy Scouts of America, from 2012 to 2018. In addition, Mr. Glawson was affiliated with the St. Bernard Church in North Kingstown and the Immaculate Conception Church in Westerly.”
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Rhode Island State Police Major Timothy Sanzi fields questions about the additional charges against James Glawson, 74 in the investigation into allegations of sexual assault and abuse.
