Mainwaring Sentenced to State Prison on Molestation ChargesBy Brittany Polito, iBerkshires Staff
05:21PM / Thursday, February 08, 2024 | |
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A former Olympian pleaded guilty on Thursday to indecent assault and battery in a case dating back to the 1970s.
Conrad Mainwaring, 72, pleaded guilty to molesting nine boys while a counselor at a local camp. He was sentenced to up to 11 years in state prison (with credit for time served) followed by three years probation.
He will have to register as a sex offender and can have no contact with the victims. Should the Defendant violate his probation, he will face an additional 10 years in state prison.
Judge John Agostini said it was a difficult case because of its nature and the logistics, as victims were spread across two continents and the United States.
Given Mainwaring's age, Agostini said this will likely be a life sentence.
He entered the courtroom in a wheelchair and was unable to stand for the proceeding. He was dressed in House of Corrections orange as he has been in custody since being indicted two years ago on 14 counts of indecent assault and battery dating. Nine of those counts of indecent assault and battery are on a child over the age of 14 and three counts on a child under the age of 14.
Four of the victims gave impact statements at the sentencing, one in person and three virtually. They commended fellow survivors who contributed to this day, as "monsters should not be forgiven, only caged."
They described grooming and manipulation that led up to the abuse, which included nicknames and promises of athletic success. Mainwaring was said to be a charismatic individual who "used his status and prestige as a weapon."
"The grooming before the abuse was disgusting," one victim said.
Agostini said that he does not believe judges can understand the impact of these types of cases until they hear it from the victims. One man admitted the abuse to his parents after an accidental drug overdose at the age of 15.
"My life has never been the same," another victim said.
The conviction was the result of a multi-year Berkshire State Police Detective Unit investigation into several allegations of indecent assault and battery Mainwaring committed as a counselor and track coach at Camp Greylock in the 1970s.
"Today I was honored to represent the commonwealth in bringing Conrad Mainwaring to partial justice for the crimes he committed. I say partial justice because we know the defendant had victims far beyond those named in today's case who have not had the opportunity to seek justice in a court of law," District Attorney Timothy Shugrue.
"I have been humbled by the bravery of the survivors in this case. They have carried the burden of abuse without justice since the 1970s. Without the survivors, their families, and the dedication of ESPN's investigative journalists we would not have reached this successful conclusion today. On behalf of my office, I thank them for their participation and dedication during this process."
Los Angeles authorities arrested Mainwaring in 2021 on a fugitive from justice warrant. The State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Berkshire District Attorney's Office had begun investigating the allegations following a report published by ESPN about Mainwaring.
ESPN's three-year investigation turned up more than 50 men who said they had been abused and coerced into sexual conduct by Mainwaring; these allegations covered a 40-year period.
The report resulted in a number of men contacting local law enforcement, which then focused on Mainwaring's time at Camp Greylock from 1976 to 1979.
Although the statute of limitations had passed, Massachusetts prosecutors argued the statute was paused, or tolled, when Mainwaring left the state in the late 1970s. This is a legal doctrine allowing a pause to prevent someone from using absence from the state to allow the statute of limitations to expire.
Mainwaring represented Antigua at the 1976 Montreal Olympics in track and field. He attended Syracuse University during this time (22 men accuse him molesting them there, according to ESPN) and moved to California some time in the 1980s.
"Secrecy is the ally of abusers. Conrad Mainwaring made it clear to his victims that he expected silence above all else. The courageous survivors broke their silence and united together in bringing Conrad Mainwaring to justice. In doing so, Conrad Mainwaring is finally facing the consequences for his crimes," said Shugrue.
"I want to end by thanking four key parties who were a crucial part of reaching a plea today. I am so grateful for the work of Attorney Megan Tesoniero and State Police Capt. Stephen Jones. They began the work on the case during their tenure at the Berkshire District Attorney's Office. It is because of their hard work that we were able to reach this resolution today.
"I also want to thank journalist Mike Kessler, ESPN and journalist Mark Fainaru-Wada. Their three-year investigation and partnership with the survivors in this case was the catalyst to bringing Conrad Mainwaring to justice."
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