Union leader's Y-12 access suspended

OAK RIDGE — Union leader Carl "Bubba" Scarbrough’s access to the Y-12 nuclear weapons plant has been suspended, following his arrest last week on a rape charge, a plant spokesman said today.

Bill Wilburn of BWXT, the contractor that manages Y-12 for the federal government, declined comment on Scarbrough’s arrest. But he did say the immediate action does not affect Scarbrough’s employment or his security clearance.

According to court documents, Scarbrough was arrested on Thursday, June 9, and charged with statutory rape. He is accused of sexually molesting a 13-year-old boy in the steam room at Fort Sanders Health and Fitness Center in West Knoxville.

Scarbrough, 62, is president of the Atomic Trades and Labor Council, an umbrella labor organization that represents about 2,500 hourly workers at Y-12 and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Sixteen unions are part of the labor council in Oak Ridge.

At this point, Scarbrough remains president of the ATCL. He was unavailable for comment.

Earl Johnson, the council’s second vice president, said today he had no comment on Scarbrough’s arrest. But he said the council’s business was proceeding as usual.

"We have bylaws in place that tell us how we do our business," Johnson said. "Everything is going as well as could be expected."

In case of extended absence, the council’s first vice president, Carl Wright, would assume the leadership role on an acting basis.

From the OakRidger today
www.OakRidger.com

Boy's mother calls union leader 'a monster'

By: Beverly Majors | Oak Ridger Staff
beverly.majors@oakridger.com

The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was allegedly molested by Carl "Bubba" Scarbrough last Thursday said Scarbrough is a monster.
The Oak Ridger chose not to publish the mother's name because her son shares the same last name so not to identify the boy.

The mother, however, said her son told her of the incident almost immediately after it allegedly happened.

Scarbrough was arrested Friday morning on a felony charge of statutory rape. He is the president of the Atomic Trades and Labor Council and a former Anderson County commissioner.

Scarbrough
"Praise the Lord, bless his heart, I've gone over it with him (her son), about what to do," the mother said. "That man (Scarbrough) cornered my child in the steam room. He's a monster."
The mother said she does not personally know Scarbrough but has seen him at Fort Sanders Health and Fitness, where the molestation allegedly occurred shortly after 2 p.m. Thursday. She said she called the Knox County Sheriff's Department and Detective Ray Treece wrote out the warrant.

The warrant states that the boy was in the steam room at the fitness club on Fort Sanders West Boulevard. The warrant states that the boy saw Scarbrough in the shower and he appeared to be masturbating. The warrant states that Scarbrough followed the boy into a steam room and allegedly sat down next to him and then fondled the boy's genitals and performed oral sex.

Scarbrough was arrested and posted bond on Friday morning.

Y-12 National Security Complex spokesman Bill Wilburn said this morning that "Scarbrough's access to Y-12 has been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation."

A run-off election is to be held tonight at the Atomic Trades and Labor Council to decide who will represent the union as a delegate.

Scarbrough and Sandy Dunlap tied last month during the regular vote. Union members elect six delegates during the process, said Gary Whitley, delegate with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local No. 760.

Scarbrough is the president of the Atomic Trades and Labor Council, which is the umbrella for seven unions.

The mother of the victim said her son is "an exemplary student and is shocked by what happened."

The mother said she is trying to keep her son busy with friends and activities "to take his mind off of it as much as possible."

She said her son is getting counseling and that she plans to be at Scarbrough's arraignment Friday in General Sessions Court in Knoxville.

"Someone who could do that to a child is totally possessed by the devil," she said.

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