A former Amanadelphia-based youth counselor pleaded guilty to a reduced charge after withdrawing his original guilty plea to institutional sexual assault in Bensalem on Monday. 54-year-old Darryl Bailey pleaded guilty in Bucks County Court to misdemeanor charges of stalking and furnishing alcohol to a minor. Senior Judge Clyde Waite sentenced him to three years of probation.
Bailey withdrew his previous admission to institutional sexual assault in July. He had been accused of groping and kissing a 19-year-old woman in his car while he was driving her from Amanadelphia to Bensalem in June 2017. The woman had been placed with Bailey’s ex-employer, the Youth Emergency Services Shelter, only two days before the alleged incident. He was working as a shift supervisor with the shelter.
Guy D'Andrea has made a career out of helping the survivors of sexual assault find justice and support. Here are some of his thoughts on the legal options available to survivors of institutional sexual assault:
In Pennsylvania, institutional sexual assault is a crime which refers to cases of sexual assault involving certain authority figures and the individuals they have authority over. This charge applies in cases involving schools, healthcare facilities, therapists, summer camps, and a variety of other organizations, facilities, and businesses.
When an authority figure abuses their power to sexually assault someone entrusted with their care, it’s crucial to make sure the perpetrator is held criminally responsible for their actions. Additionally, the victims of these crimes often have grounds for a school sex abuse lawsuit against the institution for failing to prevent sexual assault.
If your family has recently been affected by institutional sexual assault, you can learn more about your legal options by speaking with an experienced sexual assault victims lawyer.