Child sex offender on parole convicted for fourth time
Floyd Slusher, a former Boy Scout Troop leader, was convicted last week of his fourth sex offense against minors. For that, he could spend the rest of his life in prison.
According to a press release from the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office, investigators with the the Colorado Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force learned 69-year-old Floyd Slusher was dowloading child pornography in July 2021.
Slusher had been paroled from the Colorado Department of Corrections eight months earlier.
ICAC investigators and others from the Aurora Police Department arrested Slusher at his residence in the 7300 block of South Potomac Street in February. A search of his computer confirmed he had the child pornography in his possession.
This arrest was the latest in a decades-long string of such offenses.
Slusher, according to the press release, was caught in the early 1970s engaging in sex acts with juveniles while a member of the Boy Scouts in Germany. At the time, Slusher, an American, was at the end of his teenage years and entering adulthood.
The Boy Scouts of America returned Slusher to the States. He landed in Boulder and became a Boy Scout Troop leader. He was arrested by Boulder County authorities in 1977 for molesting young boys there, according to the press release.
Slusher was subsequently paroled by the DOC, according to the DA's Office.
Slusher then sexually assaulted a male juvenile in Jefferson County in 1990, and was sent to prison again.
Slusher was released on parole again in October 2020.
An Arapahoe County jury found him guilty Dec. 9 on two felonies. Slusher still faces more charges in March. If convicted of being a habitual sex offender in that trial, the mandatory sentence will be at least three dozen years in prison.
"This defendant has a history of sexually abusing children dating back more than 45 years, and it is deeply concerning that he was able to engage in this type of behavior while on parole for a similar offense," Deputy District Attorney Jacob Kremin stated in the press. "Every time child sexual abuse material is viewed or distributed, the children depicted in those materials are re-victimized. There is simply no place for this conduct in our community, and our Office will continue to pursue convictions against those perpetuating the cycle of abuse against children."
Kremin's boss, District Attorney John Kellner, was just as critical of the state system that repeatedly released Slusher.
"This defendant should have never been released from prison to victimize more children," Kellner stated. "Looking at his history, it's shocking and disturbing that he was released from prison early - again. Once again, Colorado's broken parole system favors dangerous criminals over public safety."
