A volunteer football coach and six varsity football players have been charged in an aggravated hazing incident involving freshmen football players at Philomath High School in Philomath, Oregon.
The hazing incidents involved sexual harassment of the younger players during which the coach and older players aggressively targeted the players’ sexual organs.
Volunteer assistant coach and former player Cooper Kikuta, 22, has been cited on a charge of second-degree criminal mistreatment, a misdemeanor, and is set to appear in Clatsop County Circuit Court.
The players will also face similar criminal charges filed by the Benton County prosecutor. According to the prosecutor, there are 11 alleged victims in the case.
Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said the assault and harassment charges involve allegations “wherein underclassmen’s intimate areas were aggressively targeted as a form of initiation.”
“The charges involve contact with the anus or anal area (or) aggressive contact with the testicles,” he said, adding that one of the alleged victims was involved in two incidents in which he was grabbed and held down.
The football camp was held at Camp Rilea near Warrenton from July 9-13.
The volunteer football coach will face the criminal charges as an adult while the six varsity football players will be tried as juveniles. The charges against the juveniles who range from 15 to 17 years of age include harassment and fourth degree assault.
According to Oregon criminal law, attempted harassment is a Class B misdemeanor, which carries a maximum sentence of six months in detention. The charges of harassment, fourth-degree assault and second-degree criminal mistreatment are all Class A misdemeanors, which carry a sentence of up to one year in detention.
At this time, there are 11 known victims and there may be more. Law enforcement and the district attorney’s office continue to investigate the crimes.