Charles David PughThe Chattanooga man arrested today on charges of aggravated statutory rape worked as an engineer and shop machinist at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
Charles David Pugh, 45, was arrested after an investigation by the Tennessee Department of Children's Services identified eight boys who had possibly been victims of sexual abuse by Pugh.
The affidavit said Pugh was at some point employed in Hamilton County and was "in a capacity that placed him in a position of trust and limited authority over young men."
The museum said in a statement today that Pugh was fired in July after the museum became aware of "possible criminal charges pertaining to activites outside his employment" at the museum.
One of the victims, who will not be identified, said Pugh had raped him several times over the course of several years. The last offense occurred when the victim was 16 years old, between November and December in 2010. Since the statute of limitations had not yet passed on that case, investigators with the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office were able to file charges and arrest Pugh.
The museum declined to comment any further on the investigation.
Pugh is being held in the Hamilton County Jail on $20,000 bond.