ST. LOUIS_A former Cub Scout leader has sexually abused at least seven children since 2010, including a boy younger than 12 at a Boy Scout camp in St. Louis County in July, according to charges.
Matthew C. Baker, 49, of O'Fallon, Mo., was first charged in October with two separate incidents of child sexual abuse. More alleged victims later came forward, leading authorities to file eight additional charges in recent weeks.
Baker now faces a total of 10 sex crimes charges; nine in St. Charles County involving six children and one in St. Louis County involving a seventh child.
The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office would not release more details or comment on whether the alleged abuse there was connected to Baker's association with Scouting. Baker was charged in that incident on Jan. 15 with sexually abusing a boy less than 12 years old.
But the incident was referenced in a St. Charles County indictment filed Jan. 11 that added seven new charges there against Baker.
The indictment also included the St. Louis County address where Baker allegedly abused the boy in July. The address, 6480 Beaumont Reservation Drive, is that of the Beaumont Scouts Reservation, a 2,400-acre wooded area owned by the Greater St. Louis Council, Boy Scouts of America and used by the organization for camping activities.
A spokesperson with the Boy Scout council could not be reached for comment.
Baker was listed on a Cub Scout site for the O'Fallon area as a Wolf den leader as of October, before officials took his name down. Wolves are children who are 8 or in the second grade.
The pack revoked Baker's membership after police first charged him in October and sent a letter to parents about the situation, including information on how to report concerns to authorities.
In an emailed statement on Wednesday, Ron Green, Scout executive/CEO if the Greater St. Louis Area Council, said: "We sincerely apologize to those harmed during their time in our programs. We care deeply about these victims and are committed to helping them heal. We believe in taking care of victims _ we believe them, and we pay for unlimited counseling for abuse victims and their families.
"The behavior included in these allegations is reprehensible and runs counter to everything for which the Boy Scouts of America stands."
He added that the council immediately removed Baker and banned him from any future participation in the Scouts.
Baker was first charged Oct. 19 in St. Charles County with statutory sodomy involving a child under the age of 12. He was accused of abusing an 8-year-old boy when they were on a mattress playing a board game in the basement of his home.
He was charged Oct. 22 in a second case, accused of taking an 8-year-old girl upstairs to his bedroom and abusing her. The girl was one of at least two other potential victims who went to police after the earlier charge against Baker was publicized.
The indictment filed Jan. 11 added seven charges: three counts of statutory sodomy, three counts of child molestation, and one count of sexual misconduct involving a child under the age of 15, all felonies.
The charges are for abuse involving four children. They allege:
_Baker abused a child less than 12 years old at least four times between Jan. 1, 2015, and Oct. 23 of last year in Baker's living room and basement.
_He abused two other children, both less than 12 years old, on or between Feb. 12, 2010, and Oct. 23 of last year, according to charging documents. Baker exposed himself to a child less than 15 years old between Sept. 1, 2017, and Nov. 30, 2017.
Baker also volunteered last year with a children's ministry at Messiah Lutheran Church and School in Weldon Spring, said Bryan Blackford, director of ministries.
No child connected to the church or school was among Baker's alleged victims, Blackford said. The church learned about the charges against Baker on Oct. 22 and informed its members, encouraging them to reach out to O'Fallon Police with any information and offering counseling services.
Baker underwent and passed a background check before he volunteered, Blackford said. Baker volunteered as a small group leader Sept. 9 and 30 and Oct. 14.
He was in a room with multiple adults present and was never alone with children, Blackford said. Church policy forbids adults from being alone with children.
