James Ross Richards initially registered with the Boy Scouts of America in 1983. He lived in Hillsboro, Oregon and was affiliated with local Boy Scout Troop 240 in Hillsboro. He resigned in October 1986 after he was arrested for the sexual exploitation of a minor, but it took another two years for the BSA to create one of its “Ineligible Volunteer” files on Richards.
While the details enumerated in the Boy Scouts’ Confidential File are scant, it appears that Richards sexually exploited at least one child by showing the boy pornographic material. The boy was a Scout in Richard’s troop as well as Richards’ step child.
In correspondence between Donald K. Chilcote, Acting Scout Executive in Oregon, and Paul Ernst of the Scouts’ Registration Service, Chilcote notes “Attached is one more that almost clears our list. This is another old one but he has not been registered with us for nearly two years. He dropped out when all of these charges came to light.” Chilcote concludes the letter by stating, “Hope that’s enough to satisfy B.S.A.”
I mention the contents of this letter because it highlights the callous disregard for the welfare of the victim of Richards. The words chosen and the overall tone suggest that this is nothing more than a bureaucratic shuffling of paper with little appreciation for the damage inflicted upon the child.
In poring over thousands of documents contained in the Boy Scouts’ Perversion Files, this is the predominant attitude of Boy Scout leaders. It reflects a myopic attitude of securing the Boy Scouts’ good reputation at the expense of protecting children.