GREENE COUNTY, Ark. — A juvenile has been cited on three counts of harassment following an investigation into allegations involving Greene County Tech football players, according to an update Greene County Sheriff Brad Snyder provided to NEA Report.
The update follows NEA Report’s coverage of the investigation last week. Investigators documented allegations involving three juvenile victims, including two who reported being held down in a locker room while another player exposed himself and made unwanted contact.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office received the initial report Sept. 25. After a child abuse hotline report was accepted, Jamie England Moore of the Arkansas State Police Crimes Against Children Division conducted the investigative interviews, according to the update.
Detective Sgt. Russ Latimer listened to the interviews and took notes but was not physically present in the interview room.
What Investigators Reported
One juvenile told investigators the accused player wrestled him to the locker room floor while other players helped hold him down. He reported yelling for help and telling them to get off him.
The juvenile said the accused player exposed his genitals and attempted to rub them on his face. A witness reported seeing contact occur, and a second juvenile victim also reported witnessing the incident, according to the update.
That second juvenile described a separate incident in which he was dragged down and held on the locker room floor while the accused player placed his exposed genitals against his cheek.
A third juvenile reported that the accused player and several other players pursued him after practice while trying to get him into the locker room for “birthday spankings.” He fled and hid in a baseball dugout until they left. A witness corroborated that players were searching for him, according to the update.
Citation Issued
Based on the victim and witness statements, Latimer issued the accused juvenile a citation for three counts of harassment — one for each reported victim. The sheriff’s update identifies each count as a Class A misdemeanor.
All are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
The update did not identify any of the juveniles and stated that no additional information would be released because the case involves juveniles.
Following the news, the district posted this statement to Facebook:
Greene County Tech School District has cooperated fully with law enforcement throughout its investigation into incidents involving members of the District’s football program. At the request of law enforcement, the District temporarily paused its investigation to avoid interfering with the criminal investigation.
The District will now resume its own investigation to determine the extent of each student’s involvement and the appropriate disciplinary action.
The conduct described by the Sheriff’s Office is unacceptable. This behavior is inconsistent with the standards expected of GCT students and athletes. In addition to addressing individual misconduct, the District will reinforce expectations regarding appropriate behavior, personal boundaries, and respect for others among its student athletes. The District remains committed to providing a safe and respectful environment for all students.
In a statement shared on Facebook, the district said it recently learned of the allegations, promptly reported the matter to the appropriate authorities and is cooperating with the ongoing investigation.
The sheriff’s office also shared the district’s statement on Facebook.
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