A Santa Rosa Boy Scout Den Leader accused of a four-year-long case of "prolonged molestation" with an area boy has been ejected from the organization, a BSA spokesperson said Thursday.
40-year-old Franklin Lee was arrested on March 28 and faces five felony counts of prolonged molestation and two counts related to pornographic pictures and videos, KTVU reports. According to investigators, Lee allegedly had a single victim, who he abused from 2008 to 2012, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat reported Thursday afternoon.
"Certainly, based on the charges, we're looking at a severe crime spanning years," prosecutor Chris Honigsberg said.
According to an unnamed teen who told KTVU that he was the victim's brother, Lee had been a friend of their family for over 12 years.
"I just want to know 'why' my brother, and why he did it to him...My entire family thought he was a good-hearted guy," the teen said.
According to the teen, Lee and the victim, who is now aged 17, "used to go on vacations a lot, just them two, to bond and we're guessing that's what happened some of those times."
Lee, who said on the Boy Scouts' Redwood Empire Council website that he'd "been recruited" to join the organization in 2010, was Scoutmaster of Sebastapol Pack 128, and was Assistant Scout Master for Troop 27.
According to Santa Rosa Police Sgt. and domestic violence and sex assault unit head Terry Anderson, the victim was not involved in scouting.
Herb Williams, VP of the Redwood Empire Boy Scouts, says that they were notified of Lee's arrest Wednesday, and promptly ended their relationship with him. "Our council has zero tolerance. The moment we found out, he was removed," Williams said.
Lee, who is also a stepfather to two children, is presently being held on $1 million bond.
