IPD charges assistant scoutmaster with possessing child pornography

Copyright © 2009 GateHouse Media, Inc. ^ | Posted Jan 23, 2009 @ 04:25 PM | By Linda Quinlan, staff writer

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Irondequoit, N.Y. —Irondequoit police have charged an assistant Boy Scout leader of a troop in town with possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child, a felony.

Robert Casanzio, 19, of Irondequoit, was taken into custody Jan. 15 and also charged with attempted endangering the welfare of a child.

According to Sgt. Barry VanNostrand, supervisor of the IPD’s criminal investigations unit, Casanzio’s charges follow an approximately two-month long joint investigation by that unit and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.

Police allege that in October 2008, Casanzio placed a posting on Craig’s List Web site looking for “young teen naturists” and “young boys between the ages of 14 and 17” who would allow him to take nude pictures of them.

As a result of this investigation, VanNostrand said, Casanzio traveled to an undisclosed location for the purpose of meeting a 15 year old female to take nude photographs of her. When Casanzio arrived to meet the female to pick her up, he was met by investigators who took him into custody.

A subsequent search of Casanzio’s computer found more than 50 images of child pornography.

Nothing has been discovered so far in the investigation to indicate any of the images are of local children, VanNostrand said. He did say that Casanzio was an Assistant Scoutmaster of an Irondequoit troop of the Boy Scouts of America at the time he was charged.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Boy, I can't see why those "narrow minded" Boy Scouts of America want to keep gays out of scouting... (rolls eyes)

[Grunthor]

“looking for “young teen naturists” and “young boys between the ages of 14 and 17” who would allow him to take nude pictures of them.”

Nope, gay men aren’t any threat whatsoever to young Boys Scouts. Why, the very thought casts the doubter as homophobic!

(extreme sarcasm)

[gimme1ibertee]

Jesse Dirkhising.
The name still brings sorrow-and anger-to my heart.

[Izzy Dunne]

possessing an obscene sexual performance by a child

I don't know how you can "possess" a "performance".

In any case, it's weird that he solicited young boys, but was caught chasing a girl.

If anybody thinks this is restricted to gays, they're wrong.

[engrpat]

For those that don’t know, like me, this happened in New York State.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

If anybody thinks this is restricted to gays, they're wrong.

I don't think anyone is saying that. The issue, however, is that gay men are attracted to males. Boy scouts are males. It's too dangerous a combination.

For that matter, straight men shouldn't be girl scout troop leaders.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

For those that don’t know, like me, this happened in New York State.

Ummm....the first two words of the post are "Irondequoit, N.Y."

[engrpat]

Sorry about that. Missed it.

[DirtyHarryY2K]

The pervert was charged with “possession” of child pornography (on his pc) which is a “performance”

[yazoo]

“The issue, however, is that gay men are attracted to males. Boy scouts are males. It’s too dangerous a combination.”

No, gay men are attracted to adult men, straight men are attracted to adult women. If you are attracted to children you are a pedophile (whether you are gay or straight). Statistically, gay men are no more likely to be pedophiles than straight men. The reason for keeping gay men out of scouting has nothing to do with the a fear they will molest boys, but because they view gay men as not in keeping with their moral code, and the scouts have every right to do that. The scouts also won’t allow gay young men to become scouts.

[sleddogs]

What a load of misguided untruths!!! Homosexual activists routinely claim that most child molesters are “heterosexual” males, thus shifting the focus away from their own very high rates of molestation. Since 98-99% of the population is heterosexual, it is technically correct to say that most molestations are done by heterosexuals. However, statistics indicate that homosexuals pose a far more serious threat to children than do heterosexuals. In 1987, Dr. Stephen Rubin of Whitman College conducted a ten-state study of sex abuse cases involving school teachers. He studied 199 cases. Of those, 122 male teachers had molested girls, while 14 female teachers had molested boys. He also discovered that 59 homosexual male teachers had molested boys and four female homosexual teachers had molested girls. In other words, 32 percent of those child molestation cases involved homosexuals. Nearly a third of these cases come from only 1-2% of the population.

more here
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/urban/one.php

I was a scoutmaster and on council staff with the Boy Scouts of America for 11 years in NE Ohio. And can state that 100% of the child molestations and attempted molestations were in fact homosexual in nature.

[yazoo]

“I was a scoutmaster and on council staff with the Boy Scouts of America for 11 years in NE Ohio. And can state that 100% of the child molestations and attempted molestations were in fact homosexual in nature.”

Well obviously 100% if of the child molestations were in a boy scout troop it stands to reason they would be against boys. Pedophiles ideate on children not on gender. They are aroused by children based on the fact they are children. Some pedophiles prefer one gender or the other, and some molest both boys and girls. If you are a pedophile your sexual orientation is to children and the fact you are homosexual or heterosexual is not the issue. To assume that because a pedophile is also a homosexual is to link two things that aren’t necessarily related.

A very, very high percentage of pedophiles were sexually abused as children. Does this mean that the Scouts should deny membership to any adult who was abused a child, since it is a common thread among pedophiles?

[NinoFan]

“I was a scoutmaster and on council staff with the Boy Scouts of America for 11 years in NE Ohio. And can state that 100% of the child molestations and attempted molestations were in fact homosexual in nature. “

Please tell me you’re joking. Considering the fact that it’s the BOY Scouts, then it’s pretty obvious that any molestations are going to involve people of the same gender.

[NinoFan]

This really has nothing to do with the ‘homosexual agenda’.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

ping

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

The Boy Scout aspect of the story most certainly does have everything to do with the homosexual agenda.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Well, Yazoo, the point the poster was making is that 100% of the molestations were homosexual at root. The homosexuals claim that they should be scout masters because they would never harm children. The poster's comments indicate that the homosexual lobby is lying and that, by the poster's direct experience, homosexuals should not be allowed in the scouts.

Now listen, if you have children, and you want to put them in a ‘nature’ organization with people who may be attracted to them sexually (whether homo or hetero or pedophile at root), then go ahead and form your own organization that puts predators and prey together in the same group. Real smart.

As for the rest of us, leave the scouts alone so that there is at least one organization left in the country that respects God and does what it can to protect children and raise them with love of God, love of Biblical teachings, love of country, love of individual responsibility, and love of family.

[NinoFan]

Look, I’m not someone who thinks that private organizations should be forced to admit people they don’t wish to admit. I’m very libertarian in that regard.

That having been said, I stand by my take that this story has little to do with homosexuals and everything to do with pedophiles. Whatever you think about homosexuality in general, the truth is that your average homosexual, if made a scout leader, is not going to molest anyone. Desires for people of the same sex and evil actions against underage persons are not the same thing.

Again, not trying to force the Boy Scouts to admit anyone they don’t want, just offering my take on this story.

[yazoo]

“As for the rest of us, leave the scouts alone so that there is at least one organization left in the country that respects God and does what it can to protect children and raise them with love of God, love of Biblical teachings, love of country, love of individual responsibility, and love of family.”

Please show me one place where I said the scouts should allow homosexual scout leaders. In fact, in one posting I noted I felt the scouts have every right to exclude homosexuals based on their moral philosophy. The scouts have never argued they don’t allow homosexuals because they are afraid of molestation. They have always argued they excluded them based on their moral stand. I am arguing a point about facts not about what we’d like to believe about the issue of who molests children.

If you think excluding homosexuals from scouts stops molestation of boy scouts you need to take your blinders off. Any group that mixes boys and adult males is bound to attract men who have sexual predation in mind. Boy scouts do get molested by scout masters even with the rules against homosexuals. I two adult men who were molested by scout masters when they were in scouts, and in both cases the scout masters were married with children. Child molesters are all too often pillars of the community.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

If you think excluding homosexuals from scouts stops molestation of boy scouts you need to take your blinders off.

If you think that allowing homosexuals (who are open about their homosexuality and therefore acknowledging that their sexual orientation is of greater importance than being a scout leader) is a good idea and that parents should feel safe leaving their children in their trust, then you are the one who needs to take the blinders off.