Sheriff says Mattydale fire volunteer case may involve more victims

The Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office says its investigation into Donald Bender Jr. may extend well beyond one charge, after deputies raised concerns that other people could have been harmed in connections tied to his volunteer work in Mattydale.

Bender, 61, is charged with third-degree criminal sexual act in a case tied to a 2017 sexual encounter with a 16-year-old boy. Deputies said Bender volunteered extensively with the Mattydale Fire Department and often drove young men in the department’s junior program, a role that now has investigators looking for anyone else who may have had contact with him under similar circumstances.

That broader focus is why the sheriff’s office is asking the public to come forward. Anyone with information is being asked to contact the detective assigned to the case at (315) 435-3092, extension 305. Investigators appear to be examining whether the 2017 allegation was an isolated incident or part of a larger pattern tied to Bender’s access to teens and young adults through the fire department setting.

The case has immediate significance for Mattydale because it involves a trusted community institution. Fire departments often rely on volunteers and junior programs to build the next generation of members, but those same programs can create opportunities for adults to gain credibility and access if safeguards fail. In this case, deputies say Bender’s volunteer role is one reason they believe there may be additional victims.

For families in Mattydale and across Onondaga County, the investigation may prompt a second look at past rides, conversations, or encounters that once seemed routine. The sheriff’s office is urging anyone who may have information, or who may have had contact with Bender in the fire department’s junior program, to speak with investigators so they can determine the full scope of the case.