DENVER — A former trainer who labored at a Centennial Christian college made college students undress as punishment and bribed them with cash and sweet in the event that they recorded sexual abuse materials for him, in accordance with an affidavit within the case obtained by Denver7 Wednesday.
Christopher Ballard, 26, was arrested final week on almost two dozen felony prices together with sexual assault on a toddler, sexual exploitation of a kid, illegal sexual contact and obscenity.
His arrest follows an investigation by the Parker Police Division that started in early March after police had been contacted by mother and father and founders of the Journey Academy, situated at 7691 S. College Boulevard in Centennial, which payments itself as “a college for the twenty first century” the place college students “uncover their distinctive skills with which they will affect the world for Christ.”
The arrest affidavit states that folks on the academy contacted police on a report of a sexual assault on a toddler the night of March 2 after mother and father got here ahead accusing Ballard of inappropriately touching college students, displaying them pornography and making them run bare as punishment.
Ballard had been a trainer, or “information,” on the academy since 2021 and was tasked with performing sure school-type actions for middle-aged kids at the very least thrice every week, the affidavit states.
One of many mother and father advised police he “initially believed the boys may very well be making the knowledge up,” however after speaking to different college students on the academy who confirmed these allegations, the mother or father known as Ballard that night time to confront him in regards to the accusations.
Through the telephone dialog, Ballard confirmed he “engaged inappropriately with a few (college students),” and advised the mother or father and founding father of the academy a number of the issues he did with them.
On a number of events, the affidavit states, Ballard admitted to displaying boys below this care pornographic materials and that the boys would contact one another inappropriately whereas exposing themselves to one another.
Ballard additionally confessed to “endorsing” the thought of getting college students undress as punishment, and admitted to sexually abusing college students throughout a number of different incidents.
The suspect advised the mother or father that “these items had been plaguing him for years” however by no means sought assist “for the guilt and disgrace” and thought “he had handled the state of affairs,” in accordance with arresting paperwork.
The accusations in opposition to, Ballard, nevertheless, would solely develop extra disturbing.
One other pupil who spoke with the mother or father who reported the crime to police stated Ballard would present boys pornography a number of instances all through the present college 12 months and would supply them cash, sweet and toys in trade for exposing themselves to him.
Different college students stated Ballard would sexually abuse them by making them play a recreation during which they needed to contact different inappropriately and would pressure them to document little one sexual abuse materials for him, in accordance with the affidavit.
The scholars advised the mother or father that Ballard would inform them to not inform anybody about what they did, which they by no means did as a result of they feared Ballard “would in all probability be mad,” the paperwork state.
Authorities imagine there could also be extra victims. Anybody who believes their little one could have been victimized is requested to contact Parker Police Detective Bev Wilson at 303-805-6561 or bwilson@parkerco.gov. You may as well contact Douglas County Sheriff’s Workplace Detective Randy Allen at 303-784-7802 or rallen@dcsheriff.web.
Denver 7+ Colorado Information Newest Headlines | March 13, 11am
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