The judge who ordered former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky be freed on $100,000 unsecured bail on charges he sexually abused eight boys reportedly volunteered for his charity. District Judge Leslie Dutchcot, who handled Sandusky's preliminary arraignment, gave his Second Mile charity between $500 and $1,000 and worked as a volunteer for the group, Fox affiliate WTXF-TV reports.
The report comes after separate revelations that Sandusky was continuing to receive hefty pension payouts from the university. According to the Harrisburg Patriot-News, Sandusky took a nearly $150,000 lump-sum payment at retirement and still gets almost $60,000 a year.
Sandusky, 67, has been charged with 21 felony counts for allegedly sexually abusing eight boys over a 15-year period. He denies the charges.
Prosecutors had requested a $500,000 bail for Sandusky and that he be required to wear a leg monitor, but Dutchcot ruled that he be freed without having to post any money unless he failed to show up for court.
Dutchcot works as counsel to the firm Goodall and Yurchak. Its website features a profile listing her career achievements, including being named State College Lawyer of the Year in 2005.
It also states that The Second Mile, a non-profit organization founded by Sandusky in the late 1970s to help disadvantaged children, is one of several charities she has volunteered for.
Sandusky retired from his assistant coaching position in 1999, but retained coach "emeritus" status and access to Penn State facilities. Upon his retirement, he chose to take a $148,271 lump-sum pension payment from the State Employees' Retirement System, the newspaper reported.
The remainder of his pension is paid out on a monthly basis and totals $58,898 annually.
"These details have got to be reviewed," Rep. Mike Vereb, R-Pa., told WTXF-TV. "I'm sending off a letter to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Ron Castillo and asking him to look at what happened here, to look at the reports that are out there, and if, in fact, this district justice has a conflict of interest."
Former Penn State Vice President Gary Schultz, who has been charged with perjury before the grand jury and failing to report suspected child abuse, retired from his position in 2009 but returned to his Penn State post in September on a temporary basis.
He received a $421,847 lump-sum payment at the time of his retirement in 2009 and now reportedly receives a monthly pension payment of $27,558.
Schultz's monthly payments amount to nearly $331,000 a year.
Former athletic director Tim Curley, who was also charged with perjury and failing to report suspected child abuse, did not participate in the state pension system, the report said.
Curley and Schulz both stepped down from their posts when they were indicted. Both maintain their innocence.
The Patriot-News said it had submitted a request for pension information for Joe Paterno, the longtime Penn State coach who was fired late Wednesday after criticism that he did not do more in response to allegations made in 2002 against Sandusky.
Former Penn State President Graham Spanier, who was also fired on Wednesday, was not a member of the state pension system, the newspaper said.