Former Pflugerville camp counselor arrested for alleged child sex assault
On Wednesday, Pflugerville Police arrested a former camp counselor after a woman came forward, saying he sexually assaulted her, years ago, while attending the city's Summer Pfun Camp.
27-year-old Cameron Kretsinger was arrested for child sexual assault, a 1st degree felony.
According to court documents, the victim says the abuse began in 2009 when she was 11-years-old and he was 17. It continued through 2011. Wednesday afternoon during a media press conference, Chief Jessica Robledo with the Pflugerville Police Department says one child is one too many that gets hurt in a situation like this and even though this happened years ago, to her, it’s just as important as if it happened today.
In an arrest affidavit, the victim, who is now 20-years-old, “recalled four separate sexual encounters she had with Cameron,” all of which occurred in Travis County. The victim says she would meet with Kretsinger at the Cinemark Tinseltown movie theatre in Pflugerville.
He would also pick her up from her home and on the fourth encounter, he met her at her house.
At the press conference on Wednesday, Chief Robledo thanked the victim for being so brave and courageous, calling her a “trooper.” Kretsinger was also a counselor at the Pflugerville Pfun Camp from 2009 to 2013 where he and the victim originally met and where he gave her his personal email address and phone number.
In June of this year, during his interview with the Pflugerville Police Department, Kretsinger's story closely lined up with what the victim told police. He even admitted he had a sexual relationship with the victim and at one point asked for pictures of her eight-year-old sister while she was sleeping.
Pflugerville Parks and Recreation Director, James Hemenes, says during the time of the assaults, there wasn’t a written policy regarding personal relationships between counselors and campers, but now that this story has come to light, it is something they are planning to add.
Even though there was not a written policy, Hemenes says that they “strongly discourage” any type of personal contact between counselors and campers and that all contact should be between counselors and parents.
The Pflugerville Police Department said the victim is focused on healing and there are victim services and resources available to help.
During the press conference, Robledo said that she and PPD are there to help the victim heal.
Robledo ended with a message for children, students, and young adults. “If you are a victim, if someone hurts you, please trust us enough. Go to an adult, go to a priest, go to some adult that can make a connection with us. We here to protect you, we are here to help you heal and bring justice.”
On Wednesday, The City of Pflugerville also sent out a letter to Pfun Camp parents and said that they need campers, counselors, and families, as well as anyone with more information related to the case, to contact them.
WATCH PFLUGERVILLE POLICE PRESS CONFERENCE HERE
Current campers and counselor families can contact James Hemenes at 512-990-6357. Anyone with information related to this case should contact the Pflugerville Police Department on their 24-hour hotline, 512-990-6950.