Where are they now? Jerry Lauro, DPW Investigator

One of the individuals who definitely "should have done more" about Jerry Sandusky was Jerry Lauro, the DPW investigator who determined there wasn't enough evidence to "indicate" a finding of abuse.  Where is he now and what is he doing?

By
Ray Blehar

At the outset of the Sandusky Scandal, the public's attention was diverted away from the role of Pennsylvania's child protective services in letting Sandusky roam free for 14 years.  The Department of Public Welfare (DPW) employee at the center of the storm was Jerry Lauro, a Special Program Representative who took the lead on the 1998 investigation.  

Local legend has it that Lauro was brought in because of a conflict of interest between Second Mile and Centre County Children and Youth Services.  That, and that he was assigned to abuse cases involving "high profile" individuals.

After reading what follows, all the "high profile" abusers should sleep well at night.

Lauro and the 1998 Sandusky Investigation

The 1998 University Park Police Report detailed the actions taken by Lauro in the 1998 investigation.

May 5, 1998   1:55PM          J. Lauro, DPW, informed police he was assigned to case.

                                             Lauro stated Sandusky will be interviewed on 7 May.

May 7, 1998  11:00AM        Lauro met with police.        

                                             Lauro rec’d transcribed interviews of V6 & B.K.

                                             Lauro reviewed case file of J. Miller (CYS).

May 7, 1998 11:15AM         Lauro and police went to residence of Victim 6.

                                             Lauro interviewed mother of Victim 6.

                                             Lauro obtained clothing given to Victim 6 by Sandusky.

May 8, 1998 11:55AM        Lauro informed police that DPW was going forward with evaluation 
                                            of V6 (over objections of police and ADA Karen Arnold)

June 1, 1998 11:00AM           Schreffler and Lauro interviewed Sandusky.  Determined no sexual

                                               assault occurred.

Based on the police report, it appears that Lauro did about as little as a caseworker investigating a child abuse case could do.  Lauro claimed he never discussed the details of the case with Detective Schreffler.  Lauro looked at the file, then talked to the mom, then arranged a sham evaluation of the child.   After that, it appears he waited around to be told to do a "pro forma" interview with Sandusky so that DPW could close the case.

Lauro's Side of the Story

In a December 2011 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article, Lauro stated the incident  "didn't meet the criteria," and "If I really thought there were any child abuse ... I definitely would have indicated it."

It appears that once Lauro learned (from Sara Ganim) the psychology reports were about to become public knowledge the next day (March 23, 2012), he changed his tune and shifted the blame on the PSU police for "hiding" the reports from him.

A March 22, 2012, Patriot News article reported that “Lauro was interviewed by the state grand jury that recently brought 52 child sex abuse charges involving 10 boys against Sandusky, but he said he did not even know psychologists had evaluated the boy then 11, until a reporter who acquired the 100-page report approached Lauro and showed him the reports." 

Later in the same article, Lauro said this about the two psychology reports:  “Detective Schreffler never shared any of these with me,” and about Chambers’ report:  “The conclusions she had drawn in her report were pretty damaging,” Lauro said. “I would have made a different decision. … It’s unbelievable, and it gets my blood pressure going when I think about it.” 

The man who set up the second evaluation never knew the psychologists had interviewed the boy?  And, let's not forget that Dr. Chambers submitted her evaluation to ChildLine in early May.  So, Lauro had access to it as well.

Pulitzer Prize winner,  Sara Ganim reported it just like Lauro told her...

Was it a coincidence that Sara Ganim was interviewing Jerry Lauro about the psychology reports one day before the reports were made public?   And after the reports became public, Sara Ganim never wrote a follow-up to correct the record about what Lauro knew (or as Louis Freeh famously said "should have known").  

The public (and Louis Freeh) went on believing that Lauro never saw Chambers' report.

Lauro Didn't Know The Law Then or Now 

In a July 16, 2012 interview with the Patriot News about the 1998 investigation, Jerry Lauro stated:

"If there was a need to have a safety plan, I would have had one there. I’m really not sure if I did," Lauro said.

Lauro got it wrong on two counts:
1.   A safety plan is required every time -- in accordance with Pa. 055 § 3490.56 (b)
2.  The county agency is responsible for working with the family or, in the 1998 case, the charity to ensure a safety plan is in place.  Under the law, although DPW is running the investigation, all other activities are the responsibility of CYS.

Lauro didn't know his job or the law in 1998 and it appears he still didn't know either in 2012.

Where Is Jerry Lauro Now?

In October, 2006, Jerry retired from the state Department of Public Welfare (DPW) as an Office of Children Youth and Families Regional Supervisor. He had 31 years of service with the department.

During approximately 15 years of his tenure with The Department, Jerry conducted and/or supervised numerous allegations of child abuse. In total, Jerry worked for almost 20 total years in children and youth programs. 

Today, he trains various caseworker/supervisor and foster parent curriculum.  Here are a couple courses he will be teaching this year.

Title:

110: Module 7: The Court Process

Presenter:Jerry Lauro

Participants:Newly hired caseworkers

Date:March 28, 2013

Time:9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Location:The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center

Title:

110: Module 1: Introduction to Pennsylvania's

Child Welfare System

Presenter:Jerry Lauro

Participants:Newly hired caseworkers

Date:April 23, 2013

Time:9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Location:The Pennsylvania Child Welfare Resource Center

If I were a parent in Pennsylvania, I would not be sleeping well knowing who is training new caseworkers about protecting children.