Former police chaplain accused of raping young child hundreds of times, court docs reveal
by: Matt Christy
Posted: Sep 19, 2024 / 12:08 PM EDT
Updated: Sep 19, 2024 / 10:14 PM EDT
INDIANAPOLIS — A former Southport chaplain who also worked for the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is accused of sexually abusing a child “over 100 times.”
Sylvester Driscoll, 73, is currently being held in the Marion County Jail on preliminary charges of child molestation, a Level 1 felony.
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According to court documents, police began looking into the allegations of rape and child molestation after the young victim told to her school counselor in August that Driscoll had raped and sexually abused her for years.
The child’s teacher told police that the victim had exhibited signs of sexual abuse, including complaining of irritation and pains in her privates. The child didn’t speak up about the allegations until a session with the school counselor on Aug. 28 that prompted a call to DCS and police.
Court documents reveal that the child told investigators that Driscoll showed her videos of adults having sex since she was 5 years old. The first sexual assault by Driscoll allegedly occurred not long after that.
According to the documents, the child also told investigators that Driscoll raped and sexually abused her “like 100 times” over the last couple of years and would makes threats to keep her from telling anyone.
Police confronted Driscoll on Sept. 18 and told him about the accusations made against him. Driscoll refused to speak to police without an attorney and was placed under arrest on a preliminary count of child molestation.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that Driscoll was a civilian employee for the department from June 1996 to May 2019 but no longer is associated with the department.
Driscoll also was a chaplain for the Southport Police Department but retired “a number of years ago.”
“Since his retirement, Mr. Driscoll has had no official affiliation with the Southport Police Department,” a spokesperson for Southport police said.
Official charges will be determined by the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
If charged and convicted of a Level 1 felony, Driscoll could face up to 50 years in prison.
