Five to serve time

Three Molalla students charged as adults, and two as juveniles, will serve time for incidents on basketball road trips in December, 2006.

Originally arrested in April, 2007, in connection with “hazing” incidents, for assault on a basketball road trip to Seaside, the five were sentenced today (Monday, May 12, 2008) in Clatsop County Circuit Court.

Additional investigations in Deschutes county into further incidents on the Molalla boys’ basketball team’s trip to Sisters for another tournament led to further charges.

On Monday, after Clatsop County chief deputy district attorney Ron Brown read a statement from the victim’s parents, Circuit Court Judge Cindee Matyas admonished the five, and then handed down sentences.

Matyas commented “They have forever changed the victim's life. One hopes he can learn to grow, and hopes he's not ruined by the trauma. I just don't buy the thought that this is some sort of cultural norm or right of passage." She told the defendants they have to decide what kinds of men they are, and what kind of man each will become.

Original charges of unlawful sexual penetration, sex abuse, coercion and harassment were brought, however, all five eventually plead “No Contest” to reduced charges of third degree assault.

John William Berokoff and Joshua Paul Haqq were sentenced to 30 days in the Clatsop county jail, while Onisefor Kutsev will serve 7 days. All must then undergo counseling, and will be on probatin for an additional 2 years. Berokoff and Haqq also face fines of $607.

Vlasy Kutsev and Cody Lee Anderson, also originally charged as adults, were eventually tried as juveniles in the matter, will spend 7 days in juvenile detention.

Brown commented "It was good for the defendants to hear what kind of impact this had on the victim's family."

CC

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it