Sarah Horner
shorner@pioneerpress.com
A former youth volunteer accused of sexually assaulting five boys reportedly died by suicide over the weekend, days before his trial was scheduled to begin.
Chad Michael Geyen, 46, was slated to appear in Anoka County District Court on Monday for the start of jury selection. He was charged with five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct.
Dayton police and the Hennepin County sheriff's office responded to a report Saturday of an adult male found dead with a gunshot wound to his head in Dayton, according to Lisa Kiava, spokeswoman for the Hennepin County sheriff's office.
While the case remains under investigation and Hennepin County officials were unable to release the man's identity Monday, Anoka County officials said the dead man was Geyen.
The Ramsey man's family could not be reached for comment. You tried to reach the family on the day he committed suicide? Really? Sarah, how utterly crass!
"It's a tragedy for the victims and for Mr. Geyen's family," said Leah Palmer, spokeswoman for the Anoka County attorney's office. "It's frustrating when the justice process can't continue but it's also a relief for some of the victims, who are now saved from having to testify and having to go through what is a really difficult situation of having to speak in open court."
Geyen's alleged victims, four of whom are now adults, were between the ages of 4 and 10 when he reportedly began sexually abusing them, according to the criminal complaint filed against him.
He is accused of engaging in hundreds of sexual acts with the minors, including oral and anal sex and inappropriate touching.
The abuse is alleged to have taken place at Geyen's home, at his cabin, at a YMCA, at the Blaine airport and in Geyen's Cessna 177 Cardinal airplane.
The father of two had a private pilot's license and volunteered with the Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagles program, which coordinates flights with volunteer pilots for young people interested in flying. Pedophiles always have a mechanism to get to their potential victims.
Geyen flew with more than 100 Young Eagles while he was with the organization.
He also volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in the Twin Cities from 1989 to 1993, where he met at least one of his alleged victims, according to authorities.
That young man, now in his late 20s, served as the ring bearer in Geyen's wedding and temporarily lived with him as his foster child.
shorner@pioneerpress.com
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| Chad Michael Geyen |
Chad Michael Geyen, 46, was slated to appear in Anoka County District Court on Monday for the start of jury selection. He was charged with five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of solicitation of a child to engage in sexual conduct.
Dayton police and the Hennepin County sheriff's office responded to a report Saturday of an adult male found dead with a gunshot wound to his head in Dayton, according to Lisa Kiava, spokeswoman for the Hennepin County sheriff's office.
While the case remains under investigation and Hennepin County officials were unable to release the man's identity Monday, Anoka County officials said the dead man was Geyen.
The Ramsey man's family could not be reached for comment. You tried to reach the family on the day he committed suicide? Really? Sarah, how utterly crass!
"It's a tragedy for the victims and for Mr. Geyen's family," said Leah Palmer, spokeswoman for the Anoka County attorney's office. "It's frustrating when the justice process can't continue but it's also a relief for some of the victims, who are now saved from having to testify and having to go through what is a really difficult situation of having to speak in open court."
Geyen's alleged victims, four of whom are now adults, were between the ages of 4 and 10 when he reportedly began sexually abusing them, according to the criminal complaint filed against him.
He is accused of engaging in hundreds of sexual acts with the minors, including oral and anal sex and inappropriate touching.
The abuse is alleged to have taken place at Geyen's home, at his cabin, at a YMCA, at the Blaine airport and in Geyen's Cessna 177 Cardinal airplane.
The father of two had a private pilot's license and volunteered with the Experimental Aircraft Association's Young Eagles program, which coordinates flights with volunteer pilots for young people interested in flying. Pedophiles always have a mechanism to get to their potential victims.
Geyen flew with more than 100 Young Eagles while he was with the organization.
He also volunteered with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in the Twin Cities from 1989 to 1993, where he met at least one of his alleged victims, according to authorities.
That young man, now in his late 20s, served as the ring bearer in Geyen's wedding and temporarily lived with him as his foster child.
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