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Matthew Scavitto, 39, of West Chester, PA, was sentenced Friday, Dec. 1 to 2.5 to 5 years in state prison for incidents involving a boy from 2002 to 2003 at Camp Tecumseh in Moultonborough, NH, according to Eric MacLeish, a lawyer for the victim in the case.
The victim has publicly identified himself as Will Addis. Scavitto was sentenced by New Hampshire Superior Court Judge Mark Attorri.
In 2015, Scavitto pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a student at the Phelps School in Malvern, and went to prison for eleven months.
Addis was nine years old when Scavitto began to groom him at the camp, his attorney said. The grooming led to sexual assaults when Addis returned to the camp when he was 10, 11, and 12 years old, MacLeish said.
According to Addis’s sentencing statement, the assaults included genital fondling. Eventually, Scavitto inserted his penis into Addis’ mouth and ejaculated. This type of assault happened dozens of times, according to MacLeish, citing Addis. Addis attended Camp Tecumseh from 1999 through 2003.
Multiple witnesses at the camp knew that Scavitto had developed an improper relationship with Addis, according to the attorney. At the sentencing hearing, Addis said Scavitto would walk around the camp holding his hand. hands and Scavitto also hugged him in front of others. On another occasion, a counselor came into the cabin and found Scavitto in bed with Addis, MacLeish said.
This abuse was reported to the Camp director who did nothing to alert New Hampshire Child Protection (DCYF).
“There will always be predators like Scavitto, but the administrators and staff at Camp Tecumseh bears a deep responsibility for his actions," Addis said following the hearing. "Had the Camp reported the abuse, Scavitto would have been prosecuted twenty years ago and he would never have been able to gain access to other victims at the Camp and the Phelps School.”
Addis has been in touch with one other victim of Scavitto, whom he hopes will come forward, MacLeish noted.
“Today was one of those rare days where a perpetrator of childhood sexual abuse is going to prison," MacLeish concluded. "Because of antiquated laws and inadequate resources for law enforcement and prosecutors in this state, very few of these monsters are held accountable.”
The case was prosecuted by the Carroll County Attorney's office.
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