By Michael R. Sisak (Staff Writer)
Published: April 27, 2010
A Back Mountain sports official arrested last week for possessing dozens of child pornography videos and photographs has been dismissed as the president of a youth basketball organization and suspended from refereeing and umpiring at the high school level.
George F. Gracely will not have “any further involvement” with the Dallas Youth Basketball Association and has been barred from working as a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association game official pending the outcome of his case, the organizations said Monday.
Gracely, 51, of Harveys Lake, was charged last Wednesday with 70 counts of sexual abuse of children for possession of pornographic videos and images that showed boys as young as 7 committing graphic sex acts.
Gracely had at least seven pornographic video tapes, one DVD and 60 printed images, according to an arrest affidavit. Gracely ordered the tapes through the mail, paying $164.85 with a personal check, the affidavit said. Investigators found some of the videos under his bed, the affidavit said.
Gracely, free on $75,000 bond, is scheduled to appear at a preliminary hearing Thursday before Magistrate James E. Tupper in Trucksville. A person who answered at the telephone number listed for Gracely’s Harveys Lake home quickly hung up before a reporter could ask for comment.
The Dallas Youth Basketball Association’s board of directors met Friday and voted unanimously to relieve Gracely of his duties and appoint Vice President Scott Jenkins in his place. Gracely did not attend the meeting, the statement said.
Jenkins said last week he was unaware of Gracely’s alleged penchant for child pornography until he heard of the charges last Wednesday. He said he knew of no allegations Gracely abused the children he coached or officiated.
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