In 2009, Poizner was a volunteer counselor at Pacific Health Systems, a substance abuse rehabilitation center. There, he introduced himself to and befriended adolescent boys who were attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other group meetings, telling one of the boys he was there to help keep himself sober and assist other teenage boys. He then brought the boys to his apartment where he committed acts summarized below and for which he was convicted of the above-referenced offenses. At trial, each victim testified about Poizner’s conduct and touching, and the circumstances that otherwise led to the charges against him. Like Poizner’s opening brief, our factual summary focuses mainly on the evidence supporting the felony sexual assault offenses against Austin G., Brandon P., Evan W., and Andrew D.
Robert Poizner convicted on 24 counts of sex abuse towards children with at least two 13 year old boys he was taking to Alcoholics Anonymous as an AA Sponsor, while they were under the care of Pacific Health Systems in National City, California.
Lawsuit claims National City treatment facility did not protect young patients
Robert Poizner convicted of molesting patients
Posted: 10/17/2013 Vanessa Van Hyfte | Email Me
NATIONAL CITY, Calif. – A lawsuit has been filed against a treatment facility in National City after one of its volunteer counselors was convicted of sexually abusing young patients.
Robert Poizner was convicted of 24 counts of sex abuse against children, and two of his victims were 13-year-old patients at Pacific Health Systems, a facility that treats a variety of mental health issues and additions.
According to court documents obtained by 10News, Poizner was a volunteer at PHS and was supposed to be taking teenage boys to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Instead, he took them back to his apartment and molested them, the documents stated.
“The program requires for them to get an AA sponsor … We do a lot of these cases; I’ve seen these predators, it’s unbelievable. They know where to go and which kids they can groom. These are vulnerable kids and they are at their most vulnerable state, and PHS had an obligation to keep these kids safe and they failed in this regard,” said attorney Stephen Estey, who is now representing one of Poizner’s teenage victims.
The suit alleges PHS did not do enough to protect its young patients.
Estey said by law, the facility is required to conduct criminal background screenings on anyone working or volunteering with children. Poizner had several felony convictions ranging from burglaries to three “peeping Tom” charges, where a judge had ordered him to a year in a sex offender program.
“If the facility uses volunteers, they are obligated to screen them and supervise them too, and they did neither,” said Estey.
According to court documents, Poizner offered the boys cigarettes and pornography. He lured the boys to his home, where he gained access to two of their friends, who he also sexually assaulted, the documents said. Continue reading
