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Bloomington Man Charged With Molesting Boy

Last updated on Monday, June 18, 2012

(BLOOMINGTON) - A man has been charged with felony child molesting after a boy told police he was touched by the man, who served as the boy’s Big Brother from the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.

Abby Tonsing of the Herald Times reports that the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office filed the charge Thursday.

Sean Christopher O'Brian, 29, 100 S. Pete Ellis Drive D6, was arrested Tuesday morning and booked into the Monroe County Jail on a preliminary charge of child molesting. Court records also show a Springville address for O'Brian. His bond was set $5,000 surety, $500 cash.

On June 5, a woman contacted the Monroe County Sheriff's Office to report that her pre-teen son told her he was improperly touched by O'Brian during a visit on June 4.

During a forensic interview at Susie's Place, a child advocacy center, the boy said that while at O'Brian's apartment, the two watched television in O'Brian's bedroom and the air conditioning did not work. The boy said the large-screen television made the room hot, so he took off his shirt and pants. The boy said O'Brian took off his own shirt and inappropriate touching happened, according to a probable cause affidavit on the case.

"Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Central Indiana is aware of the investigation involving a former volunteer with our organization and are alarmed and deeply saddened by reports of any child being harmed. We have been working proactively with law enforcement in their investigation and will not discuss or speculate about any specifics beyond this statement," Executive Director Tom Saccone said in a statement. "As the nation's premiere mentoring organization, Big Brothers Big Sisters makes child safety our priority. We have zero tolerance for abuse."

Volunteers and staff undergo screening and background checks; participating families and children receive ongoing professional support and personal safety awareness education, he said.

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