DEL.ICIO.USKennesaw magician charged with child molestation
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/18/08
He's a church minister and a magician.
His magic act includes card tricks and disappearing doves. He's performed at a popular amusement park, local hospitals and schools.
 Cobb Police | ||
| Jeffrey Alan Wasley, a magician from Kennesaw, was charged with child molestation. Clients listed on his web site include: Six Flags, Home Depot, Cub Scouts troops, and many metro Atlanta elementary schools. | ||
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Jeffrey Alan Wasley, the former owner of the Kennesaw Magic Shop, bills himself as Magic Jeff.
On Thursday, he was arrested on two counts of child molestation.
According to Cobb police, Wasley approached two small boys in the bathroom of the Target store on Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw on Monday.
He inappropriately touched one of them, said Officer Cassie Reece, a Cobb police spokeswoman.
About 3 p.m. Monday, Wasley entered the men's room at the store and approached one of the boys, who is 7 years old, according to his arrest warrant.
The boy was using the urinal. Wasley watched him, then allegedly pulled the boy's gym shorts down to his ankles.
"The accused told the child he was tucking in his shirt for him," the warrant says.
Wasley may have also taken the child's picture, according to the warrant.
Police also believe he took pictures of the other boy, who is 4 years old, while the child was using the urinal.
"Are you sure he wasn't helping [the little boy]?," asked Kathi Bagley, who works at a print shop on Summers Street in Kennesaw, next door to where Wasley had his magic store.
"I'm just blown away," Bagley said.
Bagley once bought trinkets for Christmas stockings from him.
"It's just hard for me to believe," Bagley said. "Of course, what does a child molester act like? ... It wasn't like I ever saw him with a group of kids only. There were always chaperones around."
Wasley has performed at nearly a dozen Cobb elementary schools, according to his Web site. One of those schools was Bullard Elementary in Kennesaw.
"The school district has a very strict policy that visitors to schools are never to be left alone with students, whether they are volunteers or paid performers," district spokesman Jay Dillon said in an e-mail.
"From a practical standpoint, it is impossible for us to do background checks on everyone who visits schools, but we can make sure that there is a school teacher or administrator present any time they are with children," Dillon said.
Wasley is the leader of children's worship — kindergarten through fifth grade — at Calvary Jesus Church in Kennesaw, according to the church's Web site.
The church's pastors did not return several phone calls and e-mails seeking comment.
"I really would not want to say anything. I just found out about this," said Don Skaggs, who heads the church's men's ministry.
The church has Sunday worship at North Cobb Christian School in Kennesaw and Wednesday worship in a rented room at a metal works building in Marietta, according to its Web site.
Wasley is a former employee of American Adventures, which is on the White Water property in Marietta.
"As of October 2007, he was no longer employed at the park," said spokeswoman Hela Sheth. Six Flags Inc. is the parent company of American Adventures.
He's also performed at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta facilities, said spokeswoman Meg Flynn.
"While 'Magic Jeff' has performed for children at our facilities, it was in accordance with our policy for community visitors," Flynn said in an e-mail.
"Our security staff are aware of all public visitors to our facilities. Visitors are escorted by a Children's staff member throughout his/her visit and never left alone with a child."
Wasley's neighbors called him a family man.
They saw him playing basketball in his cul-de-sac with his son and daughter.
He also took walks with his children and his wife.
"I would see him walking hand-in-hand with his wife," said Aracely Carrasquillo.
"He was a family man," added her 12-year-old son Ricky. "He would hang out with his children."
Patricia Fuller, who also worked in the print shop when Wasley was next door, was shocked to see his photo on a television report.
"I would never have thought it — and I still don't," she said. "He's just been accused of this and I'm not going to pass judgment. Nothing's been proven yet."
Wasley was being held on $30,000 bond in the Cobb County Jail on Friday.
Staff writers Karen Rosen, Tom Opdyke and Diane Stepp contributed to this report.
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