NEWS

Man pleads no contest to molesting boys at The Pond

Jessica Masulli Reyes
The News Journal

The businessman accused of molesting boys at the ice arena he previously co-owned is facing up to nine years in prison following a plea on Monday.

Scott J. Bicking, 48, of Mantua, New Jersey was scheduled for trial in Superior Court in Wilmington this week, but at the last minute he pleaded no contest to three of 42 charges.

Bicking was first arrested in September 2013 after a 14-year-old boy volunteering at The Pond Ice Arena in Newark told his father about inappropriate contact with Bicking, according to court records that were previously sealed.

The father contacted Newark Police Department.

The boy told police that in August 2013 Bicking had him go into his office and locked the door. While the boy sat on Bicking’s lap to order a hockey stick on the computer, Bicking placed his hands down the boy’s pants and threatened to cancel the order if he didn’t comply, an affidavit of probable cause said.

When police interviewed Bicking, he “admitted having [the victim] on his lap in his office while he was ordering a hockey stick,” but denied placing his hand down the boy’s pants, the affidavit said.

Another incident occurred in June or July 2013 near the ice arena’s snack bar when Bicking hugged the boy and stuck his hands down the back of the boy’s pants, the affidavit said.

A second boy, age 13, told police of a similar inappropriate hug with Bicking, according to the affidavit.

Following Bicking’s arrest, law enforcement held a meeting at Newark High School to quell parents’ fears and share information about the investigation.

Then two more boys, age 11 and 12, accused Bicking of also inappropriately having sexual contact with them, police said at the time.

Bicking was charged with 41 counts of unlawful sexual contact with a person less than 18 years old and one count each of continuous sexual abuse of a child, obscenity, providing obscene literature to a minor and sexual harassment in attempt to induce sexual contact.

Bicking was at the time of his arrest a part owner of The Pond Ice Arena and the ice rink’s pro shop.

He no longer is a part owner of the arena, but still is a part owner of the pro shop.

Bicking pleaded no contest Monday to two counts of second-degree unlawful sexual contact and one count of second-degree attempted unlawful sexual contact.

A spokesman for the Department of Justice said additional details about the case would not be discussed until the Sept. 11 sentencing. Bicking’s attorney could not be reached for comment.

Contact Jessica Masulli Reyes at 302-324-2777, jmreyes@delawareonline.com or Twitter @JessicaMasulli.