Schools

GVSD Employee Pleads Guilty to Scout-Camp Assaults

Matthew Lewis worked as a technology specialist at Great Valley elementary schools.

Editor's note: This article contains graphic language.

A employee pleaded guilty to indecent assault of a person less than 13 years of age, endangering the welfare of children and other charges stemming from incidents at a Boy Scouts camp in 2006 and 2007.

Matthew Lewis, 28, will likely avoid a prison term when he faces sentencing before Judge David Bortner in September, according to the assistant district attorney handling the case.

Find out what's happening in Malvernwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"He’s probably going to be getting probation, with counseling and other restrictions for his supervision period," Elizabeth Pitts, a prosecutor in the Chester County District Attorney's office, said.

The crimes occurred while in Nottingham. He faced two sets of charges, each related to a young camper. Both victims were roughly 11 years old at the time of the crimes. According to the court documents, Lewis, on separate occasions, isolated each of the boys and asked to see his genitalia:

Find out what's happening in Malvernwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

When they were alone, the defendant then told the victim that he had a cousin that was the approximate age of the victim and that relative was concerned about the size of his penis. The defendant asked the victim to show the defendant his penis so he (the defendant) could measure and compare it to his concerned cousin's penis.

Lewis pleaded guilty June 15 to the lone felony count against him, endangering the welfare of children, and three first-degree misdemeanors, including corruption of minors, and criminal solicitation and indecent assault of a person less than 13 years old. Seven related misdemeanor charges were withdrawn.

The indecent assault conviction requires Lewis to undergo an evaluation by the Sexual Offenders Assessment Board to determine if he is a sexually violent predator under Megan's Law.

When the charges were filed on Dec. 15, 2011, Lewis was employed as a technology specialist working in three of Great Valley's four elementary schools—, and . At that time, Lewis was placed on administrative leave, but at the school district administration's lack of action in the preceding months, after the district was made aware of the investigation.

At a held Dec. 22, 2011, Superintendent Alan Lonoconus told parents that state law prohibited any action against an employee based on mere suspicions, and that at one point the allegations were deemed unfounded.

Messages for school district officials were not immediately returned. Lewis's employment status has most recently been characterized as on administrative leave; the Great Valley School Board did not address his employment at its  .

Previous coverage:

(includes comprehensive timeline)


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Malvern