Sex Abuse Suit Filed Against Former Coach, Village and District

WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NY — In a lawsuit alleging "something out of a horror story" four men accused a former camp counselor and coach of sexually abusing young boys for years in northern Westchester.

The lawsuit filed last week in Westchester County Court names James Collins, plus the village of Mount Kisco, Camp Iroquois, the Boys & Girls club of Northern Westchester, Horace Greeley High School and the Chappaqua Central School District as co-defendants.

"What transpired with dozens of children in the 1980s and 1990s throughout the Town of Mt. Kisco, at the hands of Collins, is something out of a horror story," the suit said.

The plaintiffs are Gregory Ardanowski, Scott Roth and two people identified in the filings as John Doe One and John Doe Two.

They allege that Collins sexually abused, harassed, and exploited them and others over a period of time when they ranged in age from 10 years old to teenagers.

The timeframe spans 1980 to 1993, when they were in schools, camps and/or town sports in Mount Kisco and Chappaqua and Collins was working at various times as a coach, counselor, mentor or supervisor.

It was an open secret around Westchester County, according to the lawsuit. In fact, the suit alleged, Collins had been arrested and/or charged for sexual misconduct, but certain people in the Bedford Hills Police Department assisted him in avoiding public scrutiny.

For years, warning signs were seen and ignored by others connected to the sports teams, camp, school district and club, the suit said. The victims provided detailed descriptions of their alleged experiences, including allegations that Collins would get boys drunk on camp and club property, had them masturbate in groups, measured and named their penises, abused them on unauthorized trips and provided them with pornography.

The abuse caused years of physical and mental pain, depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse, trust issues, self-blame, self-doubt and shame, said the plaintiffs, two of whom still live in Westchester and two who live out-of-state. "Plaintiffs have incurred, and will continue to incur, expenses for medical and psychological treatment, therapy, and counseling."

They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages against each defendant plus their legal costs.

The Examiner reported that Chappaqua Superintendent Christine Ackerman e-mailed the community saying the district would fully cooperate with authorities.

The paper also reported that the plaintiffs' law firms, Manly, Stewart & Finaldi and Krantz & Berman, believe other victims may step forward. Read the full story on theexaminernews.com.