WINDHAM, Maine — Two months after a Windham High School football player was charged with felony sex crimes, school officials are notifying parents and the community.
This student-athlete has been allowed to remain at school.
CBS 13 spoke with the superintendent, and he says they learned of the accusations when the charges were filed in November. He says they put a safety plan in place.
He emailed out a letter to parents Wednesday, explaining the alleged crimes didn’t occur on campus, and that he couldn’t elaborate due to strict confidentiality laws.
Court documents indicate the alleged crimes in 2013 and 2014 happened when the football player was a juvenile.
That is why CBS 13 is not releasing his name.
He is 18 years old now and charged with one count of gross sexual assault and one count of unlawful sexual contact with two different children.
Those charges were filed just days after the Windham High football team’s season ended.
The District Attorney’s office says that’s just a coincidence.
Last month the player was announced as a finalist for the Frank J. Gaziano offensive and defensive lineman awards. Those awards are based on a combination of academics, athletics and community service.
“Actually, the principal and athletic director made that nomination recommendation,” Superintendent Sanford Prince said. “There’s a form that you have to fill out and that was based on his athletic ability.”
The Gaziano Awards Board of Directors today called the allegations serious and released this statement, which says in part, “Out of respect for him and the legal process, we will wait to make any further comments.”
When CBS 13 called the accused player’s family, a man identifying himself as the teen’s grandfather says the accusations are being made by someone who is “out of their mind and that the truth will come out.”
He is due to appear in court next month. The District Attorney’s office says they don’t have enough information at this point to say whether they’ll attempt to try him as an adult.