Former Northern Colorado girls' basketball coach sentenced to 82 years to life for abusing players

A former girls' basketball coach in Northern Colorado has been sentenced to 82 years to life in prison after he was convicted by a Weld County jury of multiple sex-related charges involving female athletes. Former Mead High School girls' basketball coach George Sagner was found guilty in August of last year on several charges. 

A complete list of convictions for Sagner, 33, include three counts of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust as part of a pattern of abuse, one count of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust involving a victim under 15 as part of a pattern of abuse, one count of sexual assault on a child – pattern of abuse, one additional count of sexual assault on a child by a person in a position of trust, and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to prosecutors, the case began with a Safe2Tell tip in 2021 alleging that the defendant had an inappropriate relationship with one of his players. The investigation revealed that Sagner had sexual relationships with at least three of his players during the past decade, one of which lasted more than two years. 

The defendant also sometimes provided the victims with alcohol and marijuana before sexually assaulting them, according to prosecutors. 

"George Sagner spent years posing as a trusted coach and mentor in our community, betraying parents' trust by abusing their children. It began with one courageous woman who spoke out, inspiring others to come forward and create a powerful movement of survivors," Chief Deputy District Attorney Arynn Clark said in a statement. "Weld County delivered justice with a conviction and sentence that make it clear: anyone who harms a child in our community will face lifelong consequences."