Eugene Evans A child molesting Scout leader with a trail of victims

Evans, who once battled the Boy Scouts of America all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court for its policy of excluding gays and atheists, declined to comment after he agreed to the plea deal in front of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Sandra Bean.

A Berkeley Sea Scout leader was found guilty of two counts of child molestation and will serve six years in prison under a plea deal reached Monday with the Alameda County district attorney's office.

Eugene Evans, who was originally charged with 18 felony counts, including child molestation and showing pornographic materials to young boys, pleaded no contest to two charges Monday that will allow the victims to avoid an emotional hearing.

Evans, 64, also must register as a sex offender, cease any contact with the victims in the case and pay up to a total of $10,000 in restitution to the victims.

"It's a good resolution of the case," said Susan Torrence, a deputy district attorney handling the case. "All the victims are relieved that they can put it behind them and move on with their lives."

Evans, who once battled the Boy Scouts of America all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court for its policy of excluding gays and atheists, declined to comment after he agreed to the plea deal in front of Alameda County Superior Court Judge Sandra Bean.

Phil Schnayerson, Evans' defense attorney, also declined to comment, but in court he said his client now may face a lawsuit.

Evans originally was charged with six felony counts of child molestation late last year on suspicion of sexual actions with boys under 14 years old aboard the USS Farallon, an 85-foot vessel used by the Sea Scouts.

Authorities reported that an investigation found additional victims and a boat filled with pornographic materials which resulted in 12 more counts being added against Evans.

In total, Evans was charged with molesting three victims and showing pornographic material to four others.

Torrence also said there were five former Sea Scouts who stepped forward after the investigation who claimed Evans molested them. Criminal charges in relation to those incidents were never filed because the incidents happened too long ago, she said.

From the day he was charged until Monday, Evans denied he had ever acted improperly with the boys, and supporters always appeared with him at court to defend his name.

But on Monday, only one supporter sat next to Evans before he pleaded no contest and agreed to serve six years in prison.

Evans will remain free on $500,000 bail until he is sentenced Sept. 4. He must relinquish his passport today.

"I'm very proud of all the victims who came forward in this case," Torrence said. "Both the recent victims, as well as the victims in the past, were brave enough to come forward and say what this man had done to them."