An incident involving the alleged physical abuse of a 16-year-old male cadet at the Youth Challenge Program at Camp Minden led to the arrest of his supervisor.
Charles Henry Denson III, 37, of the 3200 block of Knight St. in Shreveport, was arrested Thursday, April 2, and charged with three counts of cruelty to a juvenile and 37 counts of improper supervision of a juvenile by a legal custodian.
Officials say he is still incarcerated at Bayou Dorcheat Correctional Center on a bond of $100,000.
Webster Parish Sheriff Gary Sexton says the military called their office and asked them to look into the incident. According to reports, Denson was arrested after he admitted to “slapping a cadet in the chest twice.”
“He also forced a fellow cadet to participate in the physical abuse of the victim, a cadet under the supervision of Mr. Denson,” according to the report.
“My understanding is this guy got out of hand with a cadet,” Sexton said. “We were called directly by the military and asked to handle the situation. That’s exactly what we did. Apparently the violation was certainly against their policy and procedure, because they called us. It wasn’t a third party deal. When they (YCP) viewed the tapes, they certainly didn’t condone his actions, and that’s when they called us to come investigate it.”
The reporting officer writes in the report that Denson “used a football to hit the victim while making (the) victim stand at attention. [sic] Suspect also made the victim remove his shirt, then wet the victim’s chest with water before delivering a roundhouse blow that struck (the) victim
in the chest.
“(The) victim was propelled seven or eight feet backwards prior to hitting (the) wall then falling to the floor unable to breathe,” the report continues.
Reports indicate 37 other cadets witnessed the incident, which is why he was charged with 37 counts of improper supervision of a juvenile by a legal custodian.
Sexton says the program at YCP is an exceptional one.
“I tip my hat to them,” he said. “They do a lot of good for kids. It’s a program everybody supports. This is an isolated incident. We’ve never had this kind of incident take place before, and it’s probably a personality clash between the cadet and the instructor.”
The Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program began at Camp Minden in 2001. The program offers cadets a chance to turn their lives around. It is open to teens 16 to 18 years of age and is a voluntary program.
According to the National Guard, YCP is an 8-component program that offers students “a way to succeed outside of a traditional school setting (to) learn self-discipline, leadership and responsibility while working to obtain a high school equivalency diploma.”
At this time, it is unknown if Denson is still employed with the Youth Challenge Program. Attempts to reach a public affairs officer with the Louisiana National Guard were unsuccessful as of press time.
Arresting officers included sheriff’s deputies John Byrd, Dillard Sikes and Lt. Angela Evans.
44 thoughts on “Youth Challenge Program officer arrested for cruelty to a juvenile”
Sorry to hesr this. THE YCP is an excellant programI hope this one isolated incident will not affect the communities support to this amazing program. It changes kids lives.
Omg chuck
This is regrettable because this program is so helpful to many of our youth. I too hope this is an isolated incident and does not hurt the good that the program does for our youth.
Sick people
Hes not what they made him out to be . I’m a cadet of last cycle .. a Cadre is still a person . That cadet had to push him to his breaking point
When I asked my grandson if he recognized him from when he was at Camp Minden, the answer was ” Yes, he was my corporal, he didn’t do that to me, but he was mean as hell to everybody!”
Deff not a isolated incident if you google my name ycp almost killed me were they beat and staved me for a week in a iso room when law suit was filed they payed only guilty ppl pay
Probably hurt kids pride more then his body being slapped in front 50 other people and can’t do anything about will hurt anyone’s pride… Having been in the program he could have exercised kid till he couldn’t have moved next day slap 2 the chest is nothing in this program
That kinna stuff happens there all the time
Wrong is wrong and right is right and I know chuck too! He’s a grown man and ppl keep saying push him that the same working with kids you gone hit a child…
Ummm No ???!! So why slap a teen or whomever in the chest come on now. He knew better! Good career and all! Sad
Because the teens are actual psychopathic violent thugs? If he actually abused like they say he did he would of got jumped. One of the girl cadres abused them and 20 of them dragged her outside by her hair and beat her. I guess wrong is wrong though. Hey, actually why not say that to the 17 year old’s who graduated the program and committed murder 2 months after the program. I was abused in YCP too I guess by your standards beat up a lot by them always took it never complained. Only Cadre who I would say actually abused me was one of the upper people at YCP who had to take the platoon since we were understaffed. He always took away my dinner every shift he had and made me stand for 3 hours after everyone went to sleep on a whim not caring and literally mentioning every night he forgot I was outside. Only true abuse that I can say was at YCP which was actually only 1 cadre who did that.
My daughter was in ycp .had friends who had a child in there they never . Complained about abuse . It’s a good program
I went through the program the cadet probally asked for it …
Me and my bf both went to this ycp just makes me sick that ppl do this shit
I went to ycp in 07 and they did a lot worst things to us to brake our pride I think they should put the light pole back in the program make them carry that around again wait that is inhumane also I was told No one cared before so to the cadet grab ur nuts and suck it up its fucking boot camp
First off …he is a good cadet, I know him and cares about the kids…they respected him because of who he is….these kids are a lot worse than they appear to be …unfortunately he may have gone too far but overall he still an outstanding individual
MY SON WENT TO YCP AND DENSON HELPED HIM OUT A LOT MY SON IS NOW IN SCHOOL FOR WIELDING DON’T GET ME WRONG I’M NOT SAYING WHAT HE DID WAS RIGHT I’M JUST SAYING HOW HE HELPED MY SON OUT
Man i know denson i went to ycp he didnt do it i know hr didnt mean any harm he teachs yu how to be a man
I attended camp Minden ycp and it’s a very great experience . This is sad but do not let it make you believe that this is the way things are run there because it’s not !!! It’s a great experience and has so many benefits . It’s not all work and no play . They put there cadets through many different enjoyable experiences reminding them what being a kid is really about but also teaching them discipline and life skills. My Cadre were like family as we’re my fellow cadets .
Well my younger son leaving for Carville sunday I him let no one abuse u report it . Call me cause this mama drive so fast out there . They don’t want this crazy Cajun going off on them lol. This sopose to help the kids . They should be no abuse going on .. I don’t abuse my. Child neither will someone else
Really this ain’t shit compared to what me and the fellow cadets went threw at YCP Alexandria camp Beauregard
Nonsense… This guy helped me. I look up to guys like him.
You know, Denson ain’t a bad guy. I went to YCP and I talked to him about problems and he has helped me a lot. I’m a better person because of him and the program.
Y’all are a lie how come this man goes to jail . but when I was there in isolation you had a grown man hit a juvenile in the face and his tooth fell out .
People keep saying pushed to the point??? Ok no doubt he has not Changed a lot of these kids lives, both of my children went to YCP, daughter in minden
I do know the feeling I’m a bartender, where people drink I love my job, but I have been there for 6 years after so much verbal things that come out of these guys mouths while under the influence, not to long ago, I snapped and wanted to bust a guy with a beer bottle, so yes I bealive he had had enough!
My son, pineville, WONDERFUL program, do I bealive some people can be pushed to the breaking point? YES same thing with when we have a job, or our kids, or a lot of things where WE JUST HAD ENOUGH! Maybe that’s what happen with this guy!!! But if he was pushed to his breaking point, he no longer needs to work with children! Looks like he had more positive then negative in these kids lives! He does not have a past of abuse! So my opinion, does the man need to serve time! NO, should the man be locked up NO! but maybe he has had enough! Resign from working with these kids! For him to do time…. Absolutely not! I think maybe he has taken. All he could, so his time there is done! I wish him all the best! And in the SAME NOTE! Thanks for what he has done!
He helped me become the man I am today and I know I couldn’t have done it with out him. He is great at what he does and other cadre have done worse! One cadre broke somebody’s shoulder. Did he go to jail? Hell no! This is BS!
I went to ycp in augest of 13. He was MY cadre!
I graduated class 13-1. Most of the cadets do ask for it. I know i did. Its all part of growing up and learning how to seperate fun from taking care of your buisness. Sergant Denson was one of my own cadres, taught me a whole lot about doing what you have to do to end up where you want to be. Im sure he did or was trying to break the cadet down its what the program does to all cadets, breaks them down and then builds them back up.
FREE SRG. DENSON
I just graduated from ycp in january and i gotta say that cpl denson was one of the best cadres they had
I went to camp minden fuck them its about time they get caught for beating on kids I watched a sarge body slam a 300 pound kid cuz he couldn’t perform fuck camp minden and anybody who supports this bitch
People thank ycp is easy who want half a tray front leaning position move!!
Man denson was prolly one of the most influential cadres I had at ycp he did that shit to tough in you up and to just mess around with you this kid was obviously a huge fucking pussy that should have left after hell week smh
To bad buddy I’m not about a pissing match I was only one left in thier and not offers a brown bag have pdsd because of the shit and if it wasn’t for a mp I would have died he found me lien thier and if your not guilty wana just give me 95 thousand just to be quit ill gladly accept it pussy ass nigga
Denson was one of the coolest cadre they had their dude . Of they think he’s bad then they better arrest the other Fuking corrupt cadre at that damn place I was choked out and wen I passed out she made me do jumping jacks before going see the nurse and they didn’t do shit .
WhAt a pussy ‘if you can’t hang you should have never came’
This is absolutely crazy I went to YCP-CM 2014-1 and Denson had one of the greatest impacts in of cycles cadets he was one of the best cadre and I can promise you the cadet did something in order for that to be done YCP would not be a great program if it wasn’t for cadre like Denson
Ok my son graduated from minden ycp in 2014. I’m proud of them for what the program did for him. It is a program that is to fix our kids that have had some trouble or was just doing bad in school and we didn’t want him to screw up…I only have one son and I WOULD NOT just put him anywhere and my research was GOOD enough for me to leave him and know that he was protected. Most of the employees that are there in Minden have been there for a long time and that they I’m sure. Feel about our children as We do because they see them for months on end everyday and as all of us know. Kids can be bad.. in the past I have laid my hands on my son when he thought that he was a man and think that he was going to hurt me. No way. This man’s life and family is possibly ruined due to a kids goes to a place that is keeping his ass out of jail and being done Alot worse behind bars. God please we never wish that on anyone. But we all know punishment make kids lie. Why. Because they want to go home. And do what ever the Hell they want to do. I 100% back Minden youth challenge due to they helped my son. Mommy and Daddy. Let those kids grow up and be a man. Kids lie
me and my husband both attended youth challenge programs in 2012 and both had CPL Denson as one of our cadre yes he is a tough sergeant but that is the only reason that he gets through to so many cadets and it is a lasting impression yes unfortunately he may have gone entirely to far but how they look at the actions of the cadet prior to the incident it is my belief and my husband’s as well that he would not have taken such action unless provoked to I believe he should be seen to justice but maybe not at such a ridiculous extent
He is a good cadre and loves his job. Its unfortunate that this is how his career will end. But he is no t the monster that they are trying to make out to be.
Free cpl denson. Little bitch probably deserved whatever he got. Denson knows what he’s doing and you probably hurt the kid more by arresting denson than denson did himself. I graduated valedictorian from the same camp in January
Someone here defending what this gentleman did, did you not read, the kid was propelled 7 ft to 8 ft into a wall . Really you guy’s ….. No one deserves that especially in a youth program troubled kids or not. If your child was talking smack on a corner and someone propelled him 7 ft to 8 ft into a wall. You would be on the news saying my baby didnt desetve that ….. Just saying in my opinion….
Go to any YCP program at the last month of the cycle and meet one of these kids face to face. Lets see if you can call them “kids”. They are built. In my opinion, which is actually valid since I’m a graduate from Camp Minden, is that if this cadre wanted to truly hurt the kid he would of sent him to 4th platoon which is 99% black, worst of the worst, jailbirds. Or he would of taken away meals/sleep which is actually on paper the “right” thing to do. But, instead it was just some physical violence. In this program missing a single meal is the worst pain in the world with all the exercise. That’s real abuse in my opinion as a graduate. By the way to put it into perspective, fights happened daily and lasted 2 seconds always with one person being knocked out. They get up shake hands and fight again a few days later. This isn’t some fragile kid, in the cadres mind out of the 1200 kids who started only 200 remain which are the roughest toughest kids usually and one of these kids can literally pick him up and slam him. I literally saw a kid smaller than me about 5’5ft pick up a 6’4 cadre and body slam him and beat his ass in a 1 on 1 fight during the last month of the program.