Two new lawsuits level sexual abuse allegations against former Old Town Boys Club leaders

A former director of the Old Town Boys Club faces two additional lawsuits alleging he sexually abused boys under his supervision, bringing to eight the number of suits filed against the club since January 2022.

The new lawsuits were filed on behalf of two men, ages 49 and 50, who grew up in Albuquerque and sought recreational opportunities at the club in the 1980s.

The suits allege that former director Dominic Yannoni and a former assistant director, David Michaelback, abused the boys at the club and on field trips when each was about 12. Both suits were filed June 26 in 2nd Judicial District Court.

Colby Wilson, chief executive officer at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Mexico, the successor of the Old Town Boys Club, said Wednesday the organization now “has the highest standards for safety,” including background checks for employees and volunteers, and policies that prohibit one-on-one contact between children and adults.

“We fully recognize that although these alleged incidents occurred many years ago, time does not erase any pain experienced by survivors and their families,” Wilson said in a written statement. “We continue to encourage any individual who may have been affected by the accused to come forward.”

The Journal was unable to reach Michaelback for comment on Wednesday. Michaelback is identified as a defendant only in the two most recent lawsuits.

Yannoni, who, according to the lawsuits, lives either in Albuquerque or Oklahoma, also could not be reached by the Journal on Wednesday. His attorney, Jason Bowles, did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Both suits seek unspecified damages from Boys & Girls Clubs of America, a Georgia-based nonprofit, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central New Mexico, Yannoni and Michaelback.

All the lawsuits allege former Old Town Boys Club director Eddie Valtierra and his successor, Yannoni, preyed on vulnerable boys at the club. At least two lawsuits also allege that, as a boy, Yannoni himself was abused by the older Valtierra.

As teenagers, both Valtierra and Yannoni were recognized by the Albuquerque Boys Club as “Boy of the Year,” according to Journal reports at the time. Valtierra was so honored in 1976 at age 18, and Yannoni in 1982 at age 17.

Valtierra was fired as director in response to reports of his misconduct with children, according to the suits. He died in 1998.

Valtierra “established a culture of sexual abuse” at the club “that Yannoni promoted a participated in,” the most recent lawsuits allege.