Aspies For Freedom

Former teacher's assistant faces more charges of abusing autistic children

WKYC-TV
12/21/2005  

ROCKY RIVER -- The list of victims is growing for a former Rocky River teacher's aide.

Police have identified nine young boys, who they say he sexually abused, and there may be more victims out there.

Thirty-three-year-old Phillip Distassio now faces 74-counts of rape, kidnapping, gross sexual imposition and more.

The latest victims identified by police are seven autistic boys between the ages of 8 and 10.
They say Distassio met the children while working as a teacher's assistant at a special needs school.

Prosecutors say Distassio kept journals in his Rocky River apartment detailing his victims and what he did to them. They hope to use those journals to put him behind bars for life.

Source: WKYC-TVhttp://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=45109

Rape suspect facing more charges in attacks on autistic boys
Ohio News
December 22, 2005

CLEVELAND -- A man already accused of molesting two disabled boys being tutored in his home has now been charged in the rape of seven autistic boys at a school for special-needs students.

A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Phillip Distasio, 34, of suburban Rocky River, on Wednesday with 40 counts of rape and other felonies. He had been charged with 34 counts in an indictment filed Sept. 30 in the attacks on two boys.

All but one of the nine victims were under the age of 13. A conviction on rape counts involving any of the eight younger boys would mean an automatic sentence of life in prison without parole eligibility, said Assistant Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Brendan Sheehan.

The seven latest victims are severely autistic and unable to speak or otherwise communicate, Sheehan said. Distasio is accused of molesting the seven in 2003 and 2004 at a county-funded school, Positive Education Program, in Cleveland where he was a teacher's aide, Sheehan said.

Distasio was jailed on $500,000 bond awaiting trial Feb. 6. His attorney, Thomas Shaughnessy, couldn't be reached to comment Thursday. A message seeking comment was left at his office.

Source: Ohio News
http://www.onnnews.com/Global/story.asp?...6&nav=Lrzs

Is it just me or have the kind of case exploded in the last few weeks? this is like the third case of abuse from our diligent Stella has uncovered in the last two weeks including that odious Bott-Graham. I know there is always sometihing nasty going on but this seems to be a bit much.

I make it seven reported cases of criminal cruelty and violence to autistic people, rather than three,  in the last two weeks, Drifter.  :cry:

For each case we hear of, there are surely a thousand others that go unseen, or are hushed up.  :evil:

Stella

Again, I wonder how well these people are screened before they are allowed to work with children. I hope they lock this pervert up for the term of his natural life!