The Orange Park man faces charges for the alleged sexual abuse of six boys he befriended.
By Associated Press
Published July 26, 2003
ORANGE PARK - A Marine sergeant has been arrested on charges of sexually abusing six boys he met through his church and its Boy Scout troop, Clay County sheriff's deputies said Friday.
Rodney Kenneth Staley, 31, of Orange Park, was arrested late Thursday and charged with 12 counts of lewd battery, one count of lewd exhibition and 13 counts of providing obscenities to minors, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office.
He was being held at Clay County Jail on $75,000 bail. The Sheriff's Office did not know whether he had a lawyer.
Staley, a Marine staff sergeant stationed at Jacksonville's Naval Air Maintenance Training Unit, befriended boys through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Orange Park, deputies said. He also volunteered with the church's Boy Scout troop, where he had contact with the victims, according to the arrest report.
The victims were between 12 and 15 years old. The abuse began in February 2002, deputies said.
Staley also hosted a sleepover in a tent in his back yard attended by the victims where he demonstrated the use of a rubber masturbation tool and gave it to the victims to use, deputies said.
He is also charged with giving the boys pornographic videos and magazines.
Staley told deputies his actions had weighed heavily on him and he confessed to a bishop about three weeks ago. He was arrested after one of the victim's parents contacted authorities.
A spokesman for Jacksonville Naval Air Station did not immediately return phone messages Friday.
The investigation is ongoing and deputies are looking for other possible victims.
