Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of abuse and assault. Reader discretion is advised.
“The Case of the Missing D.A.” is an episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered that follows the mysterious disappearance of Pennsylvania’s district attorney and its connection to the crimes and conviction of Jerry Sandusky. The episode will air on Oxygen at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted in 2012 of sexually abusing 10 young boys. He reportedly befriended the boys and abused them repeatedly after establishing contact through the university’s vaunted football program.
In 1977, Jerry Sandusky founded a charity organization called the Second Mile. The New York Times reported that he used the organization to attract “troubled youths.” He invited the boys he met through the Second Mile to football games and bought them gifts. Sandusky also reportedly invited them home and slept with them in hotel rooms.
The first accusation against Jerry Sandusky was raised in 1998 when an 11-year-old boy’s mother reported to the Penn State police that the coach showered with her son. Despite an investigation by the police and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, no charges were filed against Sandusky. Moreover, he even admitted to showering naked with the boy in an interview that year, according to CNN.
In 1999, Jerry Sandusky retired from his position at Penn State. However, he retained the access he held to the football facilities there. In March 2002, Football Coach Joe Paterno was made aware of Sandusky sexually abusing a 10-year-old when a graduate assistant, Mike McQueary, told him he witnessed it.
After Paterno reported the incident to Athletic Director Tim Curley, McQueary met Curley along with Gary Schultz, the Senior Vice President for Finance and Business. Although McQueary testified that he informed them of the abuse, Curley and Schultz denied knowledge of the incident.
Where is Jerry Sandusky now?
In 2008, a boy’s mother called up his high school principal to inform him that Jerry Sandusky had sexually abused her son. Following this, Sandusky was banned from the campus, and an elaborate investigation was launched. Sandusky’s repeated calls to the boy proved to be the main evidence that piled up against him. A grand jury report that was released on November 4, 2011, held Sandusky accountable for sexually abusing at least eight boys, according to CNN.
After his 2012 conviction, Jerry Sandusky was sentenced to serve 30 to 60 years in prison for abusing 10 young boys. He was found guilty on 45 counts. Eight of Sandusky’s victims testified in court and described the abuse the former Penn State assistant coach inflicted upon them. According to Centre Daily Times, he is currently incarcerated at the Laurel Highlands State Prison in southwest Pennsylvania.
Watch the case on the upcoming episode of Dateline: Secrets Uncovered on January 31, 2024.
