Ohio Boy Scout Leader Videotaped Children Changing: DOJ

SANDUSKY, OH — A former Boy Scouts of America leader pleaded guilty to secretly videotaping children changing clothes before and after swimming, the Department of Justice announced this week.

Thomas Close, 39, of Shelby, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. He will be sentenced January 15 and is expected to be sentenced to between 27 and 33 years in prison.

“This defendant used his position of trust to exploit several children and cause harm that will likely linger for years for his victims and their families,” U.S. Attorney Justin Herdman said. “This defendant needs to be locked up for decades and today’s plea is another important step in making sure that happens.”

Investigation into Close started when Homeland Security got a tip about videos on the Internet showing young boys changing before or after swimming at the YMCA in Sandusky, court documents said. The pool at the YMCA would occasionally rent its facilities to the Boy Scouts.

Other videos discovered by Homeland Security showed boys inside teepees at the Firelands Scout Reservation in Wakeman and inside the bathroom of a house that appeared to have a swimming pool, court documents said.

Investigators met with Boy Scouts of America officials in Cleveland. Since many of the videos appeared to be connected to swimming pools, Boy Scouts officials told Homeland Security about an incident from June 2017.

That report came from the Fireland Scout Reservation and concerned Thomas Close, also known as "Aqua Joe," the affidavit said. Close was associated with Boy Scout Troop 406 and had a pool in his backyard.

When Homeland Security investigators went to Close's home in November 2018, they found his bathroom matched the bathroom shown in the videos of boys changing.

Close admitted to making the videos and said he created the recordings between 2011 and the summer of 2018, the affidavit said.

He also admitted to downloading child pornography and said he had about five terabytes of child porn on his computer, according to the affidavit.

On Tuesday, Close pleaded guilty to the charges against him.

"Mr. Close's admission today will hopefully begin the healing process for all of those who have been impacted by his heinous crimes," said Vance Callender, HSI special agent in charge for Michigan and Ohio. "I commend the community who supported this sensitive investigation and the pursuit of justice throughout this difficult period. Among its many types of investigations, HSI looks to bring swift justice to perpetrators of child exploitation through a victim centered approach."