Lansing, MI - The first person to be charged as a result of the ongoing Boy Scouts of America (BSA) investigation was arraigned Monday, March 28, 2022, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has announced.
Earlier this month, Mark Chapman was charged in the 39th District Court in Macomb County with the following:
- eight counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct (CSC); and
- two counts of first-degree CSC.
Judge Kathleen Tocco arraigned him via Zoom from the Macomb County Jail this morning. He was extradited to Michigan from New York.
“We appreciate our ongoing partnership with MSP to reach this point in this important investigation,” Nessel said. “These charges are only the beginning. We ask anyone with information that could assist our BSA team to call our investigation tip line. We remain committed to securing justice for survivors of abuse.”
On the CSC first-degree case, Chapman was not given bond. On the case of only CSC second-degree charges, bond was set at $300,000 cash/surety.
A probable cause conference is scheduled for April 6. Preliminary examinations are scheduled for April 13.
The charges stem from alleged abuse against two victims. At the time, Chapman was involved in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Boy Scouts of America.
Over the summer Nessel released a public service announcement (PSA) focused on the joint investigation announced at the beginning of June between the Michigan Department of Attorney General and Michigan State Police.
The Department continues to examine a total of 5,000 claims sent from BSA national for review. Currently, a completed review of 550 claims resulted in roughly 60 inquiries sent to MSP for further investigation. The claim review process remains ongoing.
If you have information about the Boy Scouts of America that you think would help, please call the investigation tip line at 844-324-3374 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tips can be left anonymously.
Portions of this project are funded in part by Grant No. WE AX 0030 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women.