By Trevor Hughes
The Coloradoan
July 2, 2010
http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20100702/NEWS01/7020332/Boda-gets-20-years-in-prison
BOULDER - Former Rocky Mountain High School counselor Brad Boda was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual abuse on a child.
Boda in April pleaded guilty to molesting children when he was a church counselor in Longmont in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
"These children have suffered for 16 years," Judge Gwyneth Whalen said in pronouncing the sentence.
Whalen said she was particularly disturbed to learn that Boda insinuated himself into the families of his victims, in what she said appeared to be an effort to keep his betrayals secret. One mother who spoke in court said Boda attended her children's weddings, which she said forced them to relive their experiences.
The victims, Whalen said in response, "lost their innocence in ways no child should ever have to experience."
Whalen said she believed Boda posed a "significant" risk for reoffending and said she's skeptical of claims that Boda never molested any children he worked with at the high school in Fort Collins.
Under the plea bargain, Boda admitted to molesting five children, but an investigation conducted prior to sentencing found at least 14 separate victims, Whalen said.
"The court would not be surprised to hear in future years that (more) victims have come forward," Whalen said.
During Thursday's hearing, several parents spoke on behalf of their children. The Coloradoan is withholding their names to protect the victims' identity.
"I actually handed my son over to a child molester," said one father, who described how Boda was treated as a family member. "He betrayed my trust in order to harm my family."
By agreeing to a plea bargain, prosecutors spared the
victims from testifying in open court.
| Admitted child molester Bradley Boda, a former Rocky Mountain High School counselor, finishes his statement to victims during his sentencing hearing Thursday at the Boulder County Courthouse in Boulder. Bod\'s attorney John Pineau is pictured at the right. Photo by Rich Abrahamson |
At least one of the victims told police he had to tell his wife and parents what happened a decade earlier. Victims told police that the incidents took place on church trips, in the church basement, in a neighbor's home and at Boda's family cabin, sometimes under the guise of "sexual initiation," an "orgy" or "streaking."
One father said he worries there are more victims who are too afraid to step forward.
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"I'm sure there are," the father said. "I sincerely hope not."
Boda, 39, will spend the rest of his life on supervised probation as part of the plea bargain. His attorney said Boda spent the last decade trying to atone for his mistakes by counseling children, torn every day between the harm he caused and his efforts to make it right.
"I am at fault. I did everything wrong," Boda said in court. "This is my responsibility and mine alone. I molested you, and I molested your children."
Boulder County prosecutors say they are unaware of any victims in Larimer County. Boda was a counselor at Rocky Mountain High School from 2000 until his arrest last year.
Boda was arrested by Longmont police Sept. 23, and he was immediately suspended from his job at Rocky. He has since been fired.
Boda's family members and supporters in court urged Whalen to recognize Boda's good works. His sister, Kim Spooner, said Boda has helped "thousands of people" in his years as a counselor.
"The Brad of long ago was a different person," Spooner said.
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