Is this the future of sports for American youngsters. Parents of a private Boulder ice hockey club are trading text messages to see whether their children might have been sexually exploited online by a 23-year-old coach.
Gina Finney, whose son was one of those who may have been assaulted, told the Boulder Camera parents are trying to get as much information as possible about ex-coach Zachary Thomas Meints. He turned himself into police Thursday and was being held without bond on five charges.
Details of the incidents were in sealed arrest warrants used to seize a computer and a mobile phone, said police spokeswoman Kim Kobel.
She said 13 people who were witnesses and or victims were involved in the case.
"To hear something like this is happening is very disconcerting because of how it impacts our life," said Finney.
The Penn State scandal, by no means the first time youth sports have involved misconduct, has shaken the nation. The Nittany Lions and longtime coach Joe Paterno were among the most respected group of college athletes in the nation.
Kobel said police were trying to determine whether there was any and if so how much physical contact. "We do believe there are more victims. We are asking people to call the tip line or the police. If they have any information about any suspicious behavior, we'd like to know about that too."
Boulder has long been regarded as one of the finest places to live in the nation. Back in the day, Mork and Mindy was based there.
The still unsolved murder of JonBenet Ramsey, wealthy parents, destroyed the city's apparent virginity.
On December 7th a Boulder sheriff's deputy was arrested and is being held on $100,000 bond in a separate online sexual exploitation case.