Jason L. Endress, 44, was arrested July 25, 2023 and had a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2023 in Ogle County court, where he is charged with criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

The Ogle County Sheriff’s Department received a call June 23 from Emily Cross, chief operating officer of the Blackhawk Area Council, who said the organization’s hotline received a call with the allegations, Lt. Brian Ketter testified.

Ketter said the boy, who is now 25, told him he and Endress “touched each other” while in the chapel at Camp Lowden. According to court documents, the sexual contact occurred May 24 and Sept. 6, 2004.

Under redirect questioning, Ketter told Huntley that he and an Illinois State Police special agent listened in on a telephone conversation that the man had with Endress on July 20.

The boy asked Endress, “ ‘When we had sex and everything,’ if he loved him,” Ketter said.

“He said, ‘Yes, I did,’ ” Ketter testified.

Ketter also said Endress asked the man whether he had told his therapist about the incident, and then wondered if it had been reported.

When the man told Endress he had called the BSA hotline, Endress said, “something like that ... I could royally be screwed,” Ketter testified.

Endress remains free on $100,000 bond after posting 10%, or $10,000.

He faces four to 15 years in prison on each count; 85% must be served before probation could be granted.

He also is charged with two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, which carries three to seven years.

Both charges require those convicted to register as a sex offender.

Endress is a teacher at Clinton (Iowa) High School, where he has taught for 22 years.

According to Camp Lowden’s Facebook page, Endress became camp director in summer 2018. He had been involved with the Scouts more than 30 years, starting with boyhood membership in Morrison troops.

He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1996, three years after he joined Camp Lowden staff as a counselor-in-training.