Former Chatfield Senior High athletic director on trial; Craig Aukland charged with failing to report suspected child abuse
The mother of a 14-year-old boy testified Monday that former Chatfield Senior High School Athletic Director Craig Aukland mischaracterized an alleged sexual assault of her son in 2021 as a "hazing" incident. Jefferson County prosecutors now attempt to prove Aukland failed to report a suspected child abuse incident.
"He was physically held down by two other boys. He said 'no.' It was not consensual. He was fighting, trying to get away," the mother testified.
Her son, who was 13 at the time, was on a club baseball trip to Chandler, Arizona. In March 2021 when another teen in the baseball club allegedly performed a sex act on him in a hotel room, while two other boys restrained the 13 year old. The mother testified when Aukland learned of the incident, he downplayed what had occurred as hazing.
"I'm frustrated with it being (called) hazing when it was sexual assault," she said. She testified Aukland later had the alleged perpetrator apologize to a group of Chatfield Senior High School students for a "hazing incident."
Prosecutors say Aukland had a duty to immediately report what happened to local authorities, but failed to do so, leading to the misdemeanor charge. Prosecutor Mark Campbell said in his opening statement Aukland mischaracterized what happened as "boys being boys."
A Jefferson County school resource officer, Deputy Garrick Kelly, testified when he first spoke to Aukland in August 2021 about what happened, Aukland said the Chatfield students had "pantsed" the junior high school student.
Kelly said he initially did not think it was a big deal based on Aukland's rendition of what had occurred. The deputy said "concern grew'" after he talked to the victim and his parents.
"I thought it was a criminal offense that occurred in Arizona," said Kelly.
None of the alleged teenage assailants were ever charged criminally. CSHS principal Chad Broer resigned in October of 2021, several months after the incident came to light.
Aukland also resigned his position in October of 2021.
The jury, made up of three women and three men, heard the victim's mother acknowledge under cross examination from Aukland's lawyer, Charles Nicholas, that she secretly recorded a meeting with Aukland in July of 2021 where they discussed the incident.
The trial is expected to go to the jury on Tuesday.
