On Tuesday, the arrest warrant connected with the case against Tony Grant was unsealed and the document gives graphic details into the charges against the former executive director of Pathways Danbury.Although News-Times reporter did a write-up on the report already, I'm going to provide more details from the warrant.
NOTE1 : Although it states it in the report, Grant DID NOT work at Pathways Academy but rather Pathways Danbury.
NOTE 2: Portions of the warrant have been redacted.
Here's are highlights from the report:
The opening paragraph of the warrant sheds more details on Grant's volunteerism in the area and the origins of the complaint:
On January 19, 2010, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) faxed the Danbury Police Department's Youth Bureau a Notification of Suspected Abuse (form 737). The narrative in the DCF report provided, in part, the following information: that an anonymous call was made to the DCF hotline regarding Troy Grant (40-years-old), who is a volunteer and mentor at the Pathways Academy (Christian School) and the Harambee Center (community youth center) boys and girls club. The report noted he is also involved as a mentor at a local church (later determined to be the New Hope Baptist Church). The caller reports that for the past couple days he/she has been hearing from a friend that Troy Grant has been asking male boys ages 14-18 to do sexual favors for him and in exchange, Troy Grant allows the boys to live with him and/or gives them material things. The caller reports that Troy Grant selects boys who have a history of abuse and neglect. The caller reports that Troy has a 16- year-old boy named [Doe #1] living with him now.
On January 19, 2010, about one hour after this anonymous caller made the above noted hotline report, XXXXX XXXXX called the DCF hotline and made a similar report. XXXX provided, in part, the following: that in October of 2009 he and Doe #1 met Troy Grant. Since October of 2009, Troy Grant has been performing sex acts on Doe #1 in exchange for material things.
As the warrant continues, an individual who called DCF gave a statement to the police regarding Grant's alleged involvement with the victims. Here's a summary
On January 21,2010, XXXX XXXX was interviewed and provided, in part, the following information in a written statement: That he and Doe #1 went to Troy's house on October 11, 2009, for a little party. There were two other young adult gay males present. Troy bought alcohol for them and they drank the alcohol in his house. XXXXX said he knew that Troy offered money and other material things to males if they allowed him to XXXXXXXX on them and that Troy likes to XXXXXXXXXXXX. Doe #1 said he would be interested in getting money for sex, but the only thing he would do was allow Troy to perform XXXXXXXX on him. Travis and Doe #1 were drinking alcohol that Grant purchased. Troy brought out massage oils and said he gave great massages. The boys took their shirts off and Troy gave them massages. XXXXX said he had sexual relations with the other 2 adult males while Troy was massaging Doe #1. XXXXX saw Troy massage Doe #1 down to his" butt area." Doe #1 told Travis that Troy asked Doe #1 if he could give him XXXXXXX and he would give him money. XXXXX told Doe #1 not to accept just 20 or 30 dollars, but to ask for more money. Doe #1 told Troy that Troy could give Doe #1 XXXX and they then went into Troy's bedroom. XXXXX said Doe #1 and Troy were in there for about 45 minutes total, but that during the time XXXXX went in the room to check on Doe #1 and he saw Doe #1 naked from the waist down. XXXXX said said Doe #1 was getting up from the bed to get his clothes on. Troy was on the bed. XXXXX asked Doe #1 how much money Troy gave him and he said he didn't know and that Troy said he would take him to the mall the next day.
After describing other incidents between Grant and the victims, according to the warrant, the witness assisted the police department by doing the following:
On January 21, 2010, XXXXXXXXX assisted us with this investigation when he made a phone call to Doe #1 and the phone call was recorded by means of a US Hawk device placed on XXXXX's cell phone. Both ends of the conversation were recorded. The phone call was approximately 16 minutes in length. In part, Doe #1 told XXXX that he "gives it to Troy every now and then" and that when he didn't "give it" to Troy, Troy would withhold cigarettes or other things from him. He also said Troy would get angry when he didn't give it to him, but would eventually get over it. Doe #1 said he was upset with Travis for bringing his name out and that he was at fault for having Travis "jumped." During the conversation, Doe #1 said Troy provides him with alcohol, like Mike's Hard Lemonade.
The warrant continues with a statement from an individual named as John Doe #1:
On January 25, 2010, Doe #1 provided, in part, the following statement: that he has been living with Troy Grant after meeting him through another friend, XXXXXXXX. Troy Grant provides him with shelter, clothing, food, transportation, etc. He is living with Troy Grant because he needed a place to live and he wants to remain in Danbury. Doe #1 corroborated the party at Troy's house in October of 2009 when XXXXXX was there with a couple of other gay males. Doe #1 said he and Troy weren't drinking alcohol, but the others were. Doe #1 said he could hear XXXXXX and the other guys fooling around, but he didn't see it. Doe #1 said he slept at Troy's house that night. After that night, Troy offered to help him with place to live, school, and his court proceedings. Troy has provided him with shelter, food, and whatever else he needs. He said that if anything happened to Troy, it would "mess up my situation." He denies any sexual contact with Troy. Troy brought Doe #1 to the interview and picked him up.
Ultimately, the police interviewed Grant and according to the warrant, he admitted to having sexual relations with one of the victims:
On January 25, 2010, Detective Marino and I interviewed Troy Grant in which he provided, in part, the following: " [Doe #1] came to my house in October of 2009 with XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX, [Doe #3]. They had been drinking alcohol but they didn't drink at my house. XXXX, XXXXX and XXXXX are openly gay, and I didn't know if [Doe #1] was. I assumed he was because he was hanging out with the gay guys. That night I was sexual with XXXX and he and I XXXXXXXXX on each other. I heard later on that XXXXXX and XXXX had XXXXXXXXXXX but I didn't see it. Also on that night, [Doe #1] came to me and told me that he would allow me XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX if I would help him out. I told him that I didn't have to do anything and then I believed I XXXXXXXXXXXXXX on him. Something happened that night, but I can't quite remember what it was. I did XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX but I am just not certain of the exact night. The day after this get together, [Doe #1] had a court date. He was sent away for about 40 days detention. When he was released, he came to live with me in Danbury. His aunt allowed me to take care of him when he was released in December of 2009. It was then when he started living with me in Danbury that I am certain I XXXXXXXXXX on him. It occurred in my home and he was willing for me to do it to him. XXXXXXXX is the only thing I have ever done with him.
Around Christmas time, I was able to get [Doe #1] some clothing from funds donated by local organizations for needy kids. I took him to the mall and he bought some things there. [Doe #1] didn't come to my house with anything, no clothing and he would wear the same clothes all the time. I was able to help him out.
I buy the groceries for the house and I don't receive any money for taking care of the boys.
I don't recall any time that I have asked [Doe #4 and Doe #3] for sexual favors.
I believe I have had XXXXXXXX with [Doe #1] about 5 times. This always occurred in my house in Danbury. It started in December of 2009 and he is currently still living with me. The last time it occurred was about 3 weeks ago. I never gave him any money for the sex, but I have given him money for other things that he needs.
I have had XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX and he XXXXXXXXXXXXX two times. I have had XXXXXXXX with XXXXXXXXX about 5-10 times.
I do not consider myself gay. It was more of a release for me because I am engaged to a woman I have not been sexual with yet. We are getting married in August of 2010 and I do not want to have sex before marriage." This concludes Troy Grant's statement.
After providing the statement to the police, according to the warrant, Grant refused to sign the warrant before consulting with an attorney.
Troy Grant refused to sign his written statement. After providing us with his statement, he was given the opportunity to read it over. After reading the statement, he said he wanted to consult an attorney before he signed it. I asked him if everything in the statement was true and he said it was, but he didn't want to sign anything before asking an attorney. Troy asked me what would happen and I told him I wasn't sure. He stated he never did anything to hurt anyone and he only did what the boys wanted. He denied providing alcohol to anyone and drinking with the boys. Troy stated he is the Executive Director of Mentoring at the Pathways Academy.
According to the warrant, after interviewing the other people who had knowledge of alleged Grant's activities, the police wrote the following summary:
In sum, this police investigation began when two separate calls (one anonymous, the other made by XXXXXXXX were made to the DCF hotline regarding Troy Grant. XXXXXX stated he was coming forward with this complaint because he felt it was wrong what Troy Grant was doing with young males under his care. XXXXXX said he was also disturbed that Troy Grant is a mentor and is part of a school working with "at-risk" males.
XXXXX also stated he was angry with Troy Grant because Grant was not allowing Doe #1 to be friends with him, and also that Troy Grant wasn't providing him with material goods he was providing to some of the males mentioned in this investigation. XXXXX stated he witnessed Grant perform at least one act of XXXXXXX on Doe #1 while Doe #1 was in Grant's home in Danbury. XXXXX stated he has also seen Grant provide alcohol and cigarettes to Doe #1, and other minors. XXXXX stated he knows that Doe #1 is totally dependent on Grant for his shelter, food, clothing, and other means (transportation, alcohol, cell phone, etc.) XXXXX stated Doe #1 is upset with him for telling people about his situation and for exposing the relationship he has been having with Grant. XXXXX made a phone call, that was recorded by the Danbury Police Department, in which Doe #1 corroborates much this information. Verbal and/or written statements were obtained from Doe 2, 3, and 4, in which they also state Troy Grant has offered to perform XXXXXXX on them, and at times, in exchange for goods. When Troy Grant was interviewed, he admitted to performing XXXXXXXX on Doe #1 approximately 5 times while Doe #1 was in his home. Grant initially stated the first time he gave XXXXXXXX to Doe #1 was in October of 2009 (when Doe #1 was 15-years-old) during that party with XXXXXX, but later in the interview he stated the first time may have occurred in late'November or December of 2009. Grant stated he never offered money for sex, but he stated he gave Doe #1 whatever he needed. Grant stated he cannot recall any time he asked Doe #3 or Doe #4 for sexual favors.
In the summary, the police describe an incident involving Grant and a minor back in 2005:
There was a prior police investigation in 2005 (2005-3610) regarding Troy Grant and a 15-year-old male who reported Troy Grant was talking to him about sex, his sex life and other things that made the boy "uncomfortable." The boy reported to his mother that Troy Grant talked to him about XXXXXXXXX, his virginity, and Troy's own sexual history. The boy reported that Troy told him he had XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. When Troy was interviewed by police, he admitted to talking to the boy about sexual issues, but denied the talk about XXXXXXXX or XXXXXXXX. Troy told the investigating officer it was his duty as the boy's mentor to discuss sexual issues with him. The boy never alleged sexual contact with Troy and the case was closed with a report only. In my interview with Troy, he did talk about his own experience having XXXXXXXXX.
The warrant paints a disturbing picture regarding the alleged activities of the former executive director of a local mentoring program. In response to the unsealing of the court document, Grant's defense attorney Jim Diamond made the following statement to News-Times reporter John Pirro:
Grant's attorney, Jim Diamond, said his client is "looking forward to his day in court to tell his side of the story."
Referring to the informant by name, Diamond said the tipster "has woven quite a web, and when the time is appropriate we will shed more light on what he's had to say."
As with the DaSilva case, one must remember that an individual is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, and as Diamond states, a warrant gives one side of the situation. In any event, as with DaSilva's situation, the media will be on hand when the defense counters the points raised in the affidavit.
RELATED MATERIAL: Police warrant affidavit (REDACTED)
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