A man trusted with the care of children, a teacher, a mentor but now he’s a man accused.
41-year-old John Gisler, a teacher at Whitney Middle School, is accused of molesting a boy he counseled for two years through Big Brothers Big Sisters.
He’s bonded out of jail after being arrested for lewd molestation, forcible sodomy and second-degree rape.
FOX23’s Abbie Alford has more information in this developing story.
Big Brothers Big Sisters would not release its written policies.
However, in a statement released to FOX23 it says child safety is a priority and has zero tolerance for abuse.
The CEO for the Oklahoma chapter for BBBS says volunteer and staff go through thorough background checks.
FOX23 spoke to a current volunteer who says he went through an extensive screening process and it took three months to be matched with a Little Brother.
One child abuse prevention advocate says BBBS has one of the most qualified and intensive screening processes across the country.
Smiling for his yearbook picture, middle school teacher John Gisler is now accused of betraying trust.
"Child molesters are cunning manipulative and sly,” says Sharon Doty.
Child abuse prevention advocate, Sharon Doty says even the best screening process can miss a predator. By all accounts, Gisler’s record is clean, never convicted of any crime against children.
"Big Brothers Big Sisters did their job and this guy came in under the wire," says Doty.
However, Tulsa Police say Gisler started abusing the boy, his Little Brother in Big Brother Big Sisters, when the child who was living in a boys home was 14-years-old.
Legal records show the boy alleges since early 2006 Gisler inappropriately touched the boy and that Gisler also sodomized him in Gisler’s West Tulsa home.
Doty believes the 41-year-old man, if found guilty, knew exactly what he was doing when he joined Big Brothers Big Sisters.
"They go where the kids are that's their main objective to access to children," says Doty.
