By Nate Taylor
The Coloradoan
October 2, 2009
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20091002/NEWS01/910020320
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| BODA |
Boulder County prosecutors are likely to file charges this afternoon against a Rocky Mountain High School counselor police accuse of sexually assaulting numerous children during the past two decades.
Brad Boda, who Poudre School District placed on paid administrative leave after his arrest Sept. 23, is scheduled to appear in court at 2 p.m. at the Boulder County jail for an advisement hearing. Boulder County District Attorney spokeswoman Catherine Olguin said prosecutors will file charges at the hearing.
Longmont police arrested Boda, 39, after a yearlong investigation that turned up multiple accusers, both male and female, who were between the ages of 11 and 16 when the assaults occurred. Police say the incidents involving Boda and children took place between 1991 and 2004.
Boda met several of the alleged victims through his work as a youth counselor at Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Longmont. He also met at least one victim while employed at Longmont United Hospital.
Investigators have not found any victims who were students at Rocky, where Boda has been employed since 2000, working with hundreds of students each year. Students at Rocky spoke out in support of Boda after his arrest last week and said he was widely popular.
Longmont police Commander Tim Lewis said last week that investigators believe there are more victims who have not yet come forward.
"He just developed the trust of the kids, the trust of the families, the trust of his peers and the leaders in the organizations. And then behind the scenes, he would take advantage of these children," Lewis said. "The children that he picked were vulnerable and kept his secrets because of that trust. It was a sad abuse of his position and power."
In an 86-page, heavily redacted arrest affidavit obtained by the Coloradoan, police provide graphic descriptions of accusations leveled by alleged victims against Boda.
The alleged victims are now adults; and in some cases, they said they had to have uncomfortable conversations with their parents and spouses after police notified church members of the investigation.
One alleged victim told police he became addicted to pornography and abused alcohol following what he said were repeated sexual contacts with Boda.
Another alleged victim said Boda talked to him and his friends about masturbation and how it was "normal" to have homosexual thoughts. That man said at one point Boda persuaded about five 13-year-old boys to undress in front of him.
Other alleged victims recounted specific instances in which they had sexual contact with Boda after watching "hard-core" pornography in the church basement.
One man said he lost his virginity at 15 to a blindfolded girl in the church basement while Boda watched.
Alleged victims said the incidents took place on church trips, in the church basement, in a neighbors' home and at Boda's family cabin near Lyons, sometimes under the guise of "sexual initiation," an "orgy" or "streaking."
Contact: NateTaylor@coloradoan.com
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