JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A now-former Salvation Army program director is accused of having child pornography.
James Lariscy, 69, was arrested in January, but News4JAX only learned about allegations from a tipster who contacted our station to find out why there was no media coverage of the arrest.
Early last year, at a downtown building on Newnan Street, Jacksonville police executed a search warrant inside the apartment of Lariscy, court documents show. By November, according to court documents, a forensic investigator searching the electronic devices confiscated from the apartment located multiple files containing images of children being sexually abused. Lariscy was then arrested and charged with 11 counts of possessing child pornography. According to the arrest report, 10 of the 11 counts were equivalent to 10 or more images of abuse.
Court documents show Lariscy spent the last 18 years working at the Salvation Army residential rehabilitation center on Beach Boulevard. News4JAX has confirmed that he was the senior counselor and program director of the rehab program where, according to court documents, he provided drug and alcohol counseling for more than 5,000 people. But he was fired following his arrest on child porn charges.
Capt. Stephen Correira, with the Salvation Army, was Lariscy’s boss. When News4JAX asked whether a background check was ever conducted on Lariscy, Correira said, “Well, all I can tell you is Mr. Lariscy is no longer an employee of the Salvation Army, and I’m unable to comment on either former or current employee matters.”
As of Tuesday, Lariscy remained in the Duval County jail, according to jail records. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and his bond was reduced from $800,000 to $22,000, court records show.
Lariscy has a pretrial hearing scheduled for Thursday morning.