A victim of sexual abuse recently filed suit against the Boy Scouts of America for failing to protect him from a known child molester. The victim, who is not named, was molested from 1985 through 1987 while a member of the Boy Scouts. The perpetrator, Thomas Hacker was a Scout Master and had met the victim through Boy Scout activities.

Hacker is currently serving a 100 year prison term for molesting another Boy Scout during roughly the same period. Hacker and the Boy Scouts have been sued on two previous occasions for similar allegations. Just over two months ago the Boy Scouts were compelled to release files they had maintained for decades on suspected pedophiles in the organization.

How Hacker actually got cleared to participate in Scout activity is a mystery. He had a lengthy criminal record involving abuse of children. In 1970 he was arrested for sexual assault of young boys while teaching in Indiana. In 1971 he pled guilty to taking indecent liberties with a boy in Mount Prospect, Illinois. He then dropped off the radar for a bit, but resurfaced again in 1982 at Most Holy Redeemer Catholic School located in Evergreen Park, Illinois. That same year he quit his teaching position after officials at Most Holy Redeemer discovered he was encouraging students to stay after class and drop their pants. Shockingly, in 1988 Hacker showed up at another Catholic School in the southwest suburbs – as the leader of the affiliated Boy Scout Troop. Amazingly, he was also working as the Youth Director for the Burbank Park District at the same time.

Hacker’s continuing ability to get jobs providing access to young kids certainly raises questions about what due diligence, IF ANY, the Catholic Schools[and the Archdiocese] as well as the Boy Scouts used prior to hiring a serial pedophile.

The victim is respresented by attorney Chris Hurley.