Teens testify in N. Idaho Boy Scout abuse case

Two teenagers testified before a northern Idaho jury in detail how a Washington state man would enter their tent at night to sexually molest them at a Boy Scout camp in the summer of 2007.

The 16-year-olds testified Tuesday in 2nd District Court that Timothy Andrew Kellis, 38, visited them at night at the Camp Grizzly Boy Scout camp in Harvard, Idaho, where Kellis was the director of shooting sports.

Kellis has pleaded not guilty in 2nd District Court to nine counts of lewd conduct, one count of attempted lewd conduct, and two counts of sexual abuse of a child.

He faces life in prison and more than $250,000 in fines if convicted. A former high school band director from Tumwater, Wash., Kellis is being held at the Latah County Jail in Moscow on a $200,000 bond.

"At night, he (Kellis) would come into the tent and start touching me in inappropriate places," "Scout 1" told the jury of four women and 10 men, the Lewiston Tribune reported. "The first time, I didn't really know what to do."

"Scout 2" said the abuse involved oral sex and attempted anal sex.

"I didn't really do anything because it's not something you can prepare yourself for," Scout 2 said. "I was kind of in shock."

The two Scouts said they shared a tent for part of the summer and that Kellis molested one while the other slept. They said neither was aware the other was being abused until months later when they began to talk.

Kellis' attorney, Sunil Ramalingam, asked jurors to wait until Kellis testifies before making decisions.

Ramalingam said Kellis decided to fight the allegations rather than "curl up and die."

Kellis was an assistant marching band director at Clarkston High School in Washington from 1995 to 2006. Idaho State Police say he also worked as a teacher at Highland High School in Craigmont, Idaho, from 2001 to 2006.

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Information from: Lewiston Tribune, http://www.lmtribune.com