Consequences often come before criminal convictions. Any public allegations of sexual misconduct can set off a firestorm that impacts a Boulder defendant’s life. Employers, anxious to absent themselves from the high glare of media attention, quickly move to suspend or terminate an accused employee.
Joblessness may be the first of several losses that rip into professional and personal relationships. The legal stakes are extremely high. A conviction for child sexual assault or related offenses can mean a long-term loss of freedom and a lifetime listing on a sex offender registry.
A contract employee for the music departments at two Colorado Springs high schools was arrested on suspicion of obscenity and child sexual exploitation. The alleged victim is an Air Academy High School student, who reports identified only as a 16-year-old. The defendant worked as a marching band coach at the schools.
School district officials said the contract worker’s background was checked before the coach was hired last fall. The 38-year-old Denver area man, whose record was clean, had worked throughout the country as a consultant for school music departments. Once the Colorado accusations were made, the district barred the employee from the high schools and contact with students.
The arrest occurred after Aurora authorities and El Paso County deputies acted on a tip received two months ago. The coach allegedly was involved in an inappropriate relationship with a student. Investigators said they reviewed social media sites and conducted interviews before obtaining a warrant for the man’s arrest.
Investigators performed a home search but did not elaborate on findings. Authorities also refused to provide further details about the charges. The defendant was jailed on $50,000 bond.
Sex offense allegations can cause personal ruin, no matter how the criminal case is resolved. An attorney may be the only support an accused person has, but sound advice in a legal crisis is an absolute necessity.
Source: The Gazette, “Colorado Springs high school band coach arrested on suspicion of sexual exploitation of a child” Debbie Kelley, Apr. 14, 2014