Two new OYA staffers named in ongoing allegations of sex abuse at youth facility
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – It’s been four months since the first lawsuit was filed against the Oregon Youth Authority claiming the detention facility hired a staffer who sexually abused juvenile inmates
Since then, dozens of victims have claimed they were sexually abused as children while in custody of the State of Oregon at OYA facilities, and two new staffers have been accused of similar misconduct.
On Wednesday, attorneys announced that 17 additional victims have new claims of sexual abuse. This brings the total number of alleged victims to 55.
The new lawsuits were formally announced Thursday by Portland attorneys Peter Janci and Kendall Spinella of Crew Janci LLP and Paul Galm of Galm Law Firm.
Five of the new accusations include three OYA staffers — two of whom had not been previously identified.
Earlier cases have all been tied to former MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility staffer Dr. Gary Edwards, also known as “Dr. Cold Fingers.” He died in February after working for OYA for nearly 40 years and is accused of abusing boys between 2002 and 2016.
Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.