Sandusky Labeled A ‘Likely Pedophile’ In 1998 Report

More than a decade before Jerry Sandusky was arrested and charged with more than 50 counts of sexual abuse against children, a psychologist said that the former Penn State coach’s behavior fit the profile of a pedophile.

Sandusky was accused of molesting a boy in 1998. State College psychologist Alycia Chambers, who offered counseling to Sandusky’s alleged victims, wrote in her report:

“My consultants agree that the incidents meet all of our definitions, based on experience and education, of a likely pedophile’s pattern of building trust and gradual introduction of physical touch, within a context of a ‘loving,’ ‘special’ relationship.”

The case was eventually dropped and Sandusky was not charged at the time.

Four years later Sandusky found himself embroiled in another controversy when graduate assistant Mike McQueary saw him in the shower with a young boy. The incident was reported to Joe Paterno, who reported it to school officials, but no police investigation was ever conducted.

Chambers talked publicly for the first time about the 1998 report last night to NBC News. Chambers said:

“There was very little doubt in my mind (Sandusky) … was a male predator, someone that was in the process of grooming a young man for abuse. I thought…my report was strong enough to suggest that this was somebody who should be watched.”

Joe Amendola, Sandusky’s lawyer, said that a second psychologist said that Sandusky did not display the habits of a pedophile in 1998 and that he would call his own expert psychologists to the stand to disprove Chamber’s report. Amendola said:

“I understand that there are some people who could look at this behavior and say it’s a pedophile problem. But there are others who will say, ‘This is somebody who loves kids and loves to be around them’ … It’s the old story, you get your expert and I’ll get my expert.”

Sandusky has plead not guilty to all the charges against him.