Easton Staffer Charged With Raping Child During College Gate Camp at Stonehill College
A district attorney review raises fresh questions about how outside youth programs are vetted
Overview
- Easton police arrested 19-year-old James Cremins on a warrant charging him with rape of a child in connection with a College Gate STEM camp held on Stonehill College property, and court records show he pleaded not guilty and was released with conditions barring contact with the victim and unsupervised contact with young children.
- College Gate directors told reporters that Cremins is no longer employed by the program and that all staff undergo annual CORI and SORI checks, referring to Massachusetts criminal record and sex-offender registry screenings used for people who work with children.
- Stonehill College said it only rented facility space to the external vendor and that the incident did not involve Stonehill employees, framing the college as a venue host rather than an operator.
- Easton police have deferred additional details to the Bristol County district attorney, which is reviewing the ongoing investigation and will determine whether prosecutors bring formal charges beyond the arrest warrant.
- The case highlights gaps parents and institutions face when outside groups run youth programs on campus, and it may prompt calls for clearer vetting, supervision rules, and oversight of vendors that serve children.