Las Vegas Valley Boys & Girls Club director accused of touching 2 girls inappropriately

Willis Brown, 44 (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

The 44-year-old director of a south valley Boys &Girls Club arrested Thursday is accused of touching two girls inappropriately and asked them about their sex lives, his arrest report reveals.

Willis Brown, also known as “Coach Willis” or “Coach Will,” was arrested Thursday and faces three counts of lewdness with a minor younger than 16 that happened between July 28 and Aug. 1.

According to Brown’s arrest report, one of the girls, both of whom are younger than 16, reported him to a counselor at the Boys &Girls Club, 10900 Southern Highlands Parkway, during a counseling session Aug. 10. The next day, Clark County Child Protective Services reported the “sexual abuse incident” to police and interviewed the girls and their parents.

One girl accused the club director of staring at her legs the morning of Aug. 1, telling her they looked “amazing” and running his hand from her upper thigh to her ankle. The girl claimed she and Brown were alone in his office at a different time when he asked her questions about her sex life, including “how many people she slept with” and “what her favorite position was.”

“Willis has told (the girl) her body is beautiful and has seen her grow up,” the arrest report reads. “Willis told her he could use the position he is in as evil if he really wanted to.”

After the girl began telling her friend, another Boys &Girls Club member, about her encounters with Brown, the friend said the director had hugged her and placed his hands on her butt on two occasions. Brown would always ask for hugs and had told her her body was “sexy,” the second girl said.

In an interview with police, Brown admitted to hugging every girl in the facility but said he “always hugs high” and denied placing his hands on the girls’ legs or butts.

“Willis stated (one of the girls) was not a bad kid but pushes the envelope with the clothes she wears,” Las Vegas police wrote in Brown’s arrest report. “The girls are always pushing the envelope with their clothing attire.”

The Boys &Girls Club has strict policies about physical contact with the juveniles in its care, Brown told police. He said that when kids hug him, he raises his hands to minimize contact, but later admitted that he has hugged girls at the club by embracing them with his body and wrapping his arms around them.

He denied having personal conversations with the girls or being in the office with them without another staff member, the report reads.

After Brown’s arrest, Andy Bischel, CEO of Boys &Girls Club of Southern Nevada, released the following statement:

“For 56 years, the safety and protection of the children we serve in Southern Nevada has been our organization’s top priority. We are committed to the highest standards of ethical behavior and integrity, and do not tolerate inappropriate or illegal activity on the part of any Club staff, volunteer, or youth member,” the statement began.

“All employees and volunteers must undergo a thorough criminal background check and all supervisory policies are designed to ensure the maximum safety and protection of Club members and staff,” the statement continued. “Boys &Girls Clubs of Southern Nevada is fully cooperating with the authorities on this matter.”

Anyone with information about the case — or anyone who knows of other potential victims — is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police Department’s sexual assault unit at 702-828-3421.

Contact Kimber Laux at klaux@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283. Find @lauxkimber on Twitter.