Case against Sonoma Valley youth sex abuse suspect widens with two dozen new reports

The investigation into a Sonoma Valley youth club employee suspected of molesting two boys has uncovered evidence he may have used his long career with youth centers in Sonoma County and the South Bay to establish relationships with adolescent boys and sexually abuse them, Healdsburg police officials said Friday.

Paul Dwayne Kilgore, 68, of Sonoma was the athletics director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley for about a decade until 2013, when he voluntarily resigned.

Healdsburg police said Kilgore left after the club barred staff from interacting with club members outside of club hours or off campus.

Healdsburg Police Officer Craig Smith said that while their investigation is currently limited to two boys, the evidence he’s uncovered shows a troubling pattern, with news of Kilgore’s arrest prompting about two dozen people to come forward with information that could lead to other abuse cases involving Kilgore in Sonoma County and San Mateo County.

Before moving to Sonoma County, Kilgore worked for the city of San Bruno at a community center.

Kilgore “had a 30-plus year time in which he was able to develop his methods as a child sex predator and in that period of time, he honed both the manner in which he groomed kids and also the (kinds of) kids that he chose for grooming,” Smith said.

Smith declined to say how many people have accused Kilgore of abuse. Those who called police in recent days include people who either saw suspicious behavior or who said they knew of someone who may have been abused, Smith said.

He said some complaints include recent abuse and “an equal number” are allegations of abuse taking place 30 or 40 years ago. All potential victims are male.

Boys and Girls Clubs officials did not respond Friday to requests for comment on the widening investigation. On Thursday, they said Kilgore has not had contact with the Sonoma Valley club since he resigned in 2013.

“We are deeply concerned by these allegations, and are fully committed to cooperating with the local authorities as they conduct a thorough investigation of this serious matter,” club officials said in a written statement Wednesday.

Kilgore was arrested Sunday after a member of the Park Point Athletic Club in Healdsburg said he saw Kilgore inappropriately touching and speaking with two boys, ages 11 and 12, in a club locker room on Aug. 27. Kilgore, also a member of the athletic club, brought the boys to Healdsburg from Sonoma Valley, police said. He was charged with two counts of substantial sexual contact with a child under the age of 14 and remains in jail with bail set at $1 million.

Following his arrest, complaints streamed in about Kilgore, according to Healdsburg police. A small number came from people saying they were abused by Kilgore, Smith said. Healdsburg police have passed the additional complaints to Sonoma County sheriff’s investigators and San Bruno police.

Sonoma County Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Spencer Crum said detectives were looking into one possible case involving Kilgore in the county jurisdiction.

Kilgore regularly took children on outings and overnight trips while working for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sonoma Valley and in a previous job at the San Bruno community center, according to Healdsburg police.

Kilgore worked for the Boys and Girls Club after-school program in Petaluma for three months in 2014 after leaving the Sonoma Valley club. Police and Petaluma club officials they were not aware of any allegations stemming from children who attended the Petaluma club.

Some of those who have come forward alleged Kilgore molested children through the Sonoma Valley club, while others claimed he contacted victims at the San Bruno community center, Smith said.

It was unclear Friday how many of the complaints involved the Sonoma Valley club.

Club officials, including Robert Hughes, the president and CEO, did not respond Friday to calls and emails seeking comment.

San Bruno city officials confirmed Kilgore worked for their community services department more than 25 years ago but had no further details of his employment.

San Bruno Police Commander Geoff Caldwell said Kilgore has no history of criminal contacts with the department, and they have not yet opened an investigation into any complaints. They’ve assigned a detective to work with Healdsburg police.

“We will follow up on any leads given to us,” Caldwell said. “We’re still gathering information at this point.”

Kathleen Pozzi, Sonoma County public defender, said initial police reports suggested Kilgore had innocent contact at the Healdsburg athletic club with two boys he was mentoring about puberty and changes in their anatomy. She said he has no local criminal record.

However, police said their investigation has turned up evidence that Kilgore had been sexually abusing the two boys seen with him at Park Point Athletic Club over an unspecified period of time and may have a history of similar behavior.

He was arrested Sunday at his Academy Lane home where he lives with a sister and elderly father. A search of a Sonoma storage unit yielded other evidence, according to Healdsburg police. His next court date is Oct. 4.

In the statement issued Wednesday after Kilgore’s arrest, club officials said they would not comment further “until all the facts are determined and the legal process has concluded.”

On Wednesday, Hughes declined to specify the reason for Kilgore’s departure other than to say it was voluntary. Kilgore oversaw a variety of popular sports programs from flag football to baseball, club officials said.

Anyone with information about Kilgore is asked to call the local jurisdiction where a crime may have occurred. Call San Bruno Police Detective Sgt. John Ponzini at 650-616-7100, Healdsburg Police Officer Craig Smith at 707-431-3377 or the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office at 707-565-2121.

You can reach Staff Writer Paul Payne at 707-568-5312 or paul.payne@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @ppayne. You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com.