Dateline May 17, 2008--UPDATE
Salt Lake City, Utah
Robert Paisola for CNN IReportWe have just learned that a private meeting took place between the CEO of Odyssey House and the Sexual Abuse Victim. The meeting was held this week and the information we received confirms that Albert Nietos is guilty of the sexual abuse charges, that the State of Utah Department of Licensing is now involved and is conducting an investigation into this. We will post the phone number of the investigator, and that The CEO of Odyssey House made a token offer of $10,000 To resolve this matter.
The victim declined the offer and 2 days later was contacted by an independent adjuster from New York representing ARCH INSURANCE COMPANY wherein he stated that this matter is of the utmost importance to ARCH INSURANCE.
The Value of this case based upon Lexis Nexis is at least $500,000 and will grow higher daily.
The victim was recently hospitalized this week, because of this event.
We will keep you advised on the status of this investigation and have submitted 3 tapes for transcription, where we will then post them for you, our readers to listen and read.
If you are a victim of Odyssey House Utah please send an email to odysseyclassaction@mycollector.com
LET THE MARATHON BEGIN- ODYSSEY HOUSE BEGINS THE BRUTAL "MARATHON" PUNISHMENT PHASE FOR ALL CLIENTS, by Robert Paisola for CNNIReport
Today we learned that The Salt Lake City Utah Odyssey House ( www.odysseyhouse.net )
has begun the process of beginning a MARATHON. This is a punishment method in order to force compliance to the stringent rules that are used, as if in a cult like setting.
We asked our sources
"What is a Marathon?" "Well they do this when 'the house is dirty' or when rumors get started or rules are broken". We were told "If people talk too much to each other or violate any rules ( like speaking to the media ) they are required to enter into a room in silence and sit on the floor for 4 hours per day from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm, this "shunning process" can last for weeks, until the upper staff deems the client "Clean" and the counselors are watching from afar and from the next room.
One by one each client is told to go to the interrogation room where the client must "come clean" on what they have done wrong against the program. During this Marathon Shunning Process, there is to be no eye contact with any other client in the program and the client is to look at the wall only. We are told that the clients are permitted to read a book while sitting on the floor. That is all they can do to pass the time, waiting to hear their name called.
We were provided with a master list of residents and out patient residents currently in the program, with their phone numbers that we are going to interview.
If you are a client of odyssey house please send us your story to investigations@westerncapitol.com and we will guarantee your anonymity. This list is supposed to be a "Support System List" and members are told to call other residents in the event that there is a problem. We have approximately 30 names that we will soon post for the media that read this site around the world.
Tomorrow we will be interviewing the Director of Psychological and Forensic Services for the Mayo Clinic to provide you with a clear understanding WHY this abuse is going on.
For CNNIReport, this is Robert Paisola reporting from Los Angeles, California
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Dateline May 9, 2008--UPDATE
Salt Lake City, Utah
Today we performed a live recorded interview with a current Odyssey House Client who is choosing to remain anonymous, due to the revenge that Odyssey House Utah could impute upon him.
We were told that on Thursday of this week that there was a House Meeting. A Staff Member named BRAD announced that he was in charge, as he had a serious matter to discussed with the approximately 40 people in attendance.
Brad stated that he forbade any client from speaking to any person on the termination of Albert Nietos, a therapist.
The Entire basis of the Odyssey House program is based on self disclosure, so we are highly concerned at the comments that were made to the clients not to discuss this matter. Further, our source told CNN IReport that "for those of you who know, keep it on the hush (sic) and for those of you who do know, do not ask any questions" He continued, " Are we permitted to bring this up in group" and the Director of the Program, stated that this may turn into a 'Media Frenzy' and you will be approached by the media, but you are forbidden to discuss this" The CEO, Eric Schmidt, reiterated that the residents were not to discuss this inside or outside the confines of Odyssey House.
The source that we spoke to explained in detail in a recorder interview that "accountability is what the program is based upon" and that he feared for his safety to reveal his name, as he could go back to prison if they violated him for talking to this reporter, which would mean going back to prison.
We were also advised that a three weeks ago one of the other Odyssey House Therapists, Marae Evans, submitted a dirty Urine Test and was quietly let go. This was also covered up according to the source.
"Usually when a Therapist goes away (sic) they have a little going away party, but she simply disappeared just like Ablert Nietos did (sic)" he said. The group asked management why she was gone and they said that "they could not elaborate on this, and nobody was to discuss this matter also"
We were also shocked to hear that The Therapist that abused the original victim had "Replased" This comment was verified by an Odyssey House Employee names Stacy who is a therapist. This statement alone means that Odyssey House Utah had prior knowledge of Albert Nietos propensity to abuse his patients.
Update- SEX ABUSER , ALBERT NIETOS, TERMINATED FROM ODYSSEY HOUSE IN SALT LAKE CITY
As of 9:33 PM MST 5-8-08, Our sources have confirmed that one of the sexual perpetrators , Albert Nieto, of Salt Lake City, Utah has been forced to resign his position as Director of Adolescent Treatment at Odyssey House in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our sources also report that Albert Nieto's license to practice as a clinologist in the State of Utah will also be suspended and terminated.
This is only the beginning of what will be a very costly lesson for the Odyssey House Organization.
We will soon bring you the story of a resident client who simply stated that because of all of the media coverage, that he/she was not comfortable in the ODYSSEY HOUSE ENVIRONMENT and was IMMEDIATELY PROVIDED WITH A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION FOR THE COURT.WE STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED A FORMAL STATEMENT FROM GLEN LAMBERT, so stay tuned to
http://www.odysseyhouseabuse.com for further updates.
We have also just been informed that The Entire Odyssey House Client Base was called into a meeting tonight and told that under no circumstances should they speak with the media. This is called a HOUSE or TOWN HALL MEETING and it took place because of these incidents. Our sources at the program recorded the ENTIRE MEETING and we are in the process of having the data transcribed for you, as well as the full audio from the administration demanding that the clients cease and desist talking with media such as CNN, KSL, NBC NEWS, DATELINE, and all worldwide news organizations.
Not a Very Smart Move for such a Large Company with unlimited financial exposure
We were also just informed that the target of the sexual abuse that was the original basis for this story now has a bench warrant issued for her arrest in a Logan, Utah Court because of her failure to concede to Albert Nieto's Sexual Advances, which resulted in a non completion certificate being sent to the Court resulting in the warrant for arrest. We will have more live coverage on this issue tomorrow.
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May 7, 2008
For Immediate Release
Los Angeles, California
BY ROBERT PAISOLA- CNNIREPORT
GARY LAMBERT, DIRECTOR of ODYSSEY HOUSE
The Odyssey House Adult Treatment Program of Salt Lake City UTAH
is a Utah Based private, non-profit program that provides treatment of drug and alcohol addiction, emotional problems, and anti-social behavior. Odyssey House was opened in 1971 and is a major diversionary source for Utah Courts to sentence offenders who present themselves with Drug Abuse and Mental Health issues.
All of that is now in question as investigators are looking into an alleged "Sex of Completion" deals that have been made to female attendees at this program.
The Odyssey house Program is almost entirely based upon court ordered treatment. Individuals are permitted to go through the odyssey house program as an alternative to being incarcerated.
This reporter has interviewed several females who were forced to attend the Odyssey House Program and were told very explicitly that in order to complete the program that they would have to complete sexual acts with senior members of the Odyssey House Staff including the Director of Adolescent Services, Albert Nieto.
Albert Nieto is listed on the Odyssey House Website as a senior manager of the program and multiple recorded voice messages and text messages that have been seen by this reporter clearly indicate the "Sex for Completion Certificate" protocol was not simply aberrant conduct.
A victim we spoke to who wished to remain anonymous because of her pending legal against Odyssey House and their Insurance Companies, stated that she was a victim of rape at a young age, and has underwent many types of therapy.
However when approached by Nieto, she was told that if she did not comply with his sexual demands, that she would be pulled from the program and placed in jail. “It’s Your Choice” she said
We learned tonight that inmates at the Odyssey House Program whom are still active are being pulled from group and individual therapy and are being interrogated by staff members on this issue.
We made multiple attempts to contact the executives of Odyssey House including Glen Lambert, Mr. Eric Schmidt, the Director, Adam Cohen, the Director of Administration and Brad Garvin, the Director of Outpatient Services.
Robert Paisola or CNNIReport did not receive a call back from any of the parties.
Odyssey House receives funding from: Salt Lake County Division of Substance Abuse Services, Utah County Division of Substance Abuse, Utah Division of Juvenile Justice Services, Utah Division of Child and Family Services and United Way. Odyssey House is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.
We are following this story very closely and will keep you advised (including the text messages and voice mails) on this site.
If you are a victim of Odyssey House in Utah and have been treated in a similar way, please contact Robert Paisola at 801-619-4700
Odyssey House is located at:
Odyssey House Inc
607 East 200 South
Salt Lake City UT,
(801) 363-0203
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This article is the sole property of Robert Paisola and may not be reproduced with the expressed written consent of The Western Capital Foundation, CNN I Report or its Assigns.
Robert Paisola is a freelance reporter based in Los Angeles, California and covers criminal and legal matters in the country. All media requests should be made to media.relations@robertpaisola.com or 801-619-4700
